Cyclist Doctor Gets Second Lease on Life – Thanks to Bystander CPR

It was a close call for 45-year-old Vikram Verma. On June 8th, 2019, while out for a bike ride near his home in Breinigsville, Pennsylvania, his heart suddenly stopped beating! He collapsed on the side of the road with no pulse. Thankfully, a group of courageous strangers worked together to save his life. 

Retired firefighter Larry Detris was passing by when he spotted Verma lying motionless on the ground. He jumped into action. “The bystanders weren’t doing much, so I knew I had to help,” says Detris. He rolled Verma over and began chest compressions right away. 

That’s when nurse Wendy Robb and another nurse, Kelsey Miller, pulled over to lend a hand. While Detris pumped Verma’s chest, Robb cleared his airway and stabilized his neck. Miller monitored his pulse. Then EMT Anthony Levan arrived with a defibrillator. After shocking Verma’s heart, they resumed CPR. 

At that moment, Verma’s wife rushed to the scene. As a doctor, she joined the lifesaving efforts, giving her husband rescue breaths. “It was incredible to see her try to breathe life back into him,” recalls Detris. Their teamwork paid off – an ambulance soon arrived and rushed Verma to the hospital. 

Through emergency treatment and surgery, Verma survived. Five weeks later, he was back on his bike, stronger than ever. “If not for those guardian angels who stopped to save me, I wouldn’t be here today. I owe them everything,” says the grateful physician. 

“It was truly a second chance at life thanks to the heroic efforts of some amazing strangers.”

What to Do If Someone Stops Breathing

The American Heart Association says that 90% of people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting sadly don’t survive. Therefore, CPR can really make a difference. If someone receives the care right away, especially from a bystander, it can double or even triple their chances of survival according to the AHA. 

The statistics show that about 45% of people who go into cardiac arrest will survive if bystander CPR is applied. So, knowing CPR and having first aid skills can make a big difference – even if one person at a time takes the training.

Why On-Site Training Is Better

In-Pulse CPR  is popularly  known for its on-site classes for its enrollees – a preferred method for gaining experience and credibility for learning CPR and becoming acquainted with first-aid basics. 

Mr. Troy Bowman, the Vice-President, CFO, and an author at In-Pulse emphasizes that In-Pulse’s Heartsaver course is an exemplary program to take for anyone who wishes to receive a comprehensive understanding of lifesaving skills and CPR.

Key Benefits of Taking a Heartsaver Course through In-Pulse CPR

Offered onsite and for groups of five or more at their work site, the Heartsaver Course is featured in Florida, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota.

The program covers five 30-minute sessions, Monday through Friday – all conducted at times convenient for most participants. The course covers the following CPR fundamentals:

• Safety onsite – What better way than to learn on-site safety than taking the course onsite?
• Early warning signs of a stroke or heart attack
• Checking for respiration and responsiveness
• Activating EMS

CPR training also covers administration of CPR for adults, infants, and children as well as techniques for one-person and two-person CPR rescues. 

Students learn how to help choking victims as well as the basics of operating an automated external defibrillator (AED) device.

A follow-up assessment is made of each student’s CPR skills.

During the Heartsaver program, first aid training is covered as well – training that will show you how to manage shock and control bleeding.

You’ll also learn how to take the necessary precautions onsite and how to move victims during emergencies. All the learning is done in an engaging classroom setting.

In addition, you’ll get acquainted with first-aid illnesses and injuries and how to properly check a patient’s responsiveness.

While you can take a CPR course quickly online, taking the course off-line is, by far, the best venue. Not only will you gain hands-on skills, you’ll ultimately be much more qualified to help someone who is injured and/or requires CPR and AED support.

Get CPR Training Now – Enroll in On-Site Training with In-Pulse CPR

Get on the right track in 2024. Receive onsite CPR/AED training through In-Pulse CPR. You have it in your power to make a difference in your life as well as the lives of others. Make 2024 your year for learning a new and important  life-saving skill!

Author: Donna Ryan

Bio: Donna Ryan lives and writes in Tucson, AZ USA. Contact her at donnar668@gmail.com with comments and inquiries.