The image of 24-year-old professional football player Damar Hamlin receiving CPR on the field during a nationally televised game is etched into the minds of sports fans across the country.

When Hamlin, a player for the Buffalo Bills, went into cardiac arrest during a Jan. 2 game in Cincinnati, the Bills’ medical staff performed CPR for nine minutes and used an AED to restart his heart.

Experts say those actions saved Hamlin’s life.

Knowing CPR and how to use an AED isn’t just for medical professionals. With some basic training, you too can be a lifesaver.

“It’s really important to know how to do something,” said Carrie Bush, former first aid expert and program manager at the National Safety Council. “You never know when you’re going to need to use it. You’re more likely to save a life if you do something other than just calling 911.”

Where to start

Research shows that 9 out of 10 people who suffer cardiac arrest out of a hospital die – unless a bystander immediately performs CPR.

“Brain damage can start in four minutes and brain death can start in eight to 10 minutes,” said Bush, a former EMT who has also worked in sports medicine. “An average EMS response time is 10 minutes or more. That’s why knowing CPR is so imperative.”

So, how can you learn it?

Several organizations – including the NSC – offer CPR/AED training courses, which typically require a short time commitment.

CPR involves giving rescue breaths to a victim. But if bystanders are unable or unwilling to provide rescue breaths to an unresponsive person, they can use a simpler technique called hands-only CPR, or compression-only CPR.

“If you just call 911, line up your hands on their chest, and push hard and fast, you can help save a life,” Bush said. “It’s not as hard or as complicated as a lot of people think.”

Some people are concerned that they might break the victim’s ribs during CPR compressions. But a broken rib, Bush says, is better than the alternative – dying without CPR being performed.

“The only way you can make it worse is by not doing anything.”

Anxious about AEDs?

You’ve probably seen an AED on the wall in an office building, your local gym or other public places. If the thought of having to use one makes you uneasy, remember what Bush says: AEDs are designed to be “nervous proof” and include voice prompts and visual instructions to guide you.

“Most of them will automatically turn on when you open the lid. They walk you through the process so specifically. It makes sure to remove the average person’s concern or fear about getting it wrong.”

That’s important because, according to the American Heart Association, a person’s chances of surviving a cardiac event decreases 7% to 10% with every minute that passes.

When you use an AED, the electric shock it delivers can restore someone’s heart to its normal rhythm. The device analyzes the person’s heart rhythm and will deliver a shock only if it’s needed.

Good Samaritan protections

A recent survey of more than 2,200 adults found that 41% feel unprepared to administer hands-only CPR, while 61% said the same about using an AED.

“Training will help you overcome that fear,” Bush said. “It will help you know what to do.”

All 50 states and the District of Columbia have Good Samaritan laws in place. These laws provide legal protection to anyone who gives reasonable assistance to someone who’s in peril or injured.

“If you operate within the area that you’ve been trained and you are not paid to be there, you’re covered by Good Samaritan laws,” Bush said.

Imagine, for example, you’re in a grocery store and a fellow shopper falls to the floor. Bush says you should ask, “Are you OK?” If the person is unresponsive, you can start CPR compressions knowing you’re covered under the law. “You acted in good faith and with what a reasonable person would do to perform a lifesaving act.”