Pittsburgh EMS in conjunction with UPMC, is beginning a city-wide Citizen CPR training program in 2016. Residents and community leaders, like the members of the Polish Hill Association, who reside in Police Zone 2 are the first to learn this life-saving technique.

Called Bystander CPR or “hands only” CPR, it allows time for anyone to initiate resuscitation protocols and improve the ultimate outcomes of patients suffering from medical emergencies, specifically cardiac arrest. The goal in 2016 is to train at least 2,500 Pittsburgh residents in this and the Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) protocols.

A free 30 minute non-certificate course will be hosted by the Zone 2 Public Safety Council  at its regular monthly meeting on Thursday, January 28beginning at 6:00 p.m at the Bedford Hope Center, 2305 Bedford Ave.