If you were with someone who had a heart attack or almost drowned, would you know what to do? If you know how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), you could save a life. CPR is an emergency procedure for a person whose heart has stopped or is no longer breathing. It consists of

• Rescue breathing, to get oxygen to the lungs
• Chest compressions, to keep blood circulating

When blood flow or breathing stops, seconds count. Permanent brain damage or death can happen quickly. CPR can maintain circulation and breathing until emergency medical help arrives. You should not try CPR unless you have had training - if it is done incorrectly, it could harm someone. To keep your skills up, you should repeat the training every two years.