CPR Education Kiosk Comes to Center City

If someone went into cardiac arrest in front of you, would you know what life-saving steps to take to keep them alive until paramedics could arrive on the scene? If the answer is “no,” you are not alone. Too many people don’t know how to do CPR, which can mean the difference between life and death for a loved one or even a stranger if you happen to be on the scene when they collapse. That’s why it’s so exciting that a CPR education kiosk has been installed in Center City.

Most CPR training involves a paramedic’s dummy like this one, but a new CPR education kiosk in Center City teaches visitors how to do the hands-only version in only two minutes.

Philadelphia’s first-ever hands-only CPR education kiosk is just a short walk from Independence Hall, conveniently located in the city’s historic center. According to CBS6, the American Heart Association installed the kiosk at the Independence Visitor Center. You don’t have to be a visitor to come inside and use the kiosk and view the 2-minute instructional video, however. Best of all, you can go through the training as many times as necessary until you get the basics down.

“Just being familiar, touching it, feeling, knowing what pushing down means. Knowing what to do – calling 911 first before you start. And then trying to help someone – it works,” Dr. Mather from the American Heart Association told CBS.

In the incident of cardiac arrest, the faster CPR is started, the better chance there is that the victim will survive. The CPR education kiosk in Center City is one of only few around the country that are not located in airports (places where people have time to linger a bit and experience the training), but the Vistor’s Center is considered the perfect spot for one in Philly. James Cuorarto, President of the Independence Visitors Center, says that the attraction attracts over two and half million people each year. The foot traffic, plus the fact that people usually have a few extra minutes, makes it a great spot.