Learning CPR can be a life-saving skill.

On Saturday, Nov. 2, the Lyme Ambulance Association will offer “CPR for Friends and Family.”  This program equips adults with the basic skills needed to help someone in cardiac distress until professional support arrives.  The class is offered free to residents of Lyme and to participants from other towns, if space is available.

“It takes at least 10 minutes for an ambulance to come after you call 911,” says CPR instructor Karen Dahle.  “For a person in cardiac arrest – which can happen for many reasons, at any age – within 10 minutes, the chance of survival can drop to 50 percent unless CPR is administered.”  For this reason, the presence of a friend or family member trained in CPR can make all the difference.

The training will take place from 9 a.m. to noon at the Hamburg Fire Station on Rte. 156 in Lyme.  Enrollment is limited to 22, so advance registration is essential.  Call 860- 434-5667 to sign up.  This training is not intended for health care workers and others requiring AHA certification.

The Lyme Ambulance Association has served the community since 1976, relying entirely on volunteer staffing and contributions to maintain its operations and programs.