Security Mutual lights building red for heart disease awareness

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WBNG) -- To raise awareness of cardiovascular disease, Security Mutual will be lighting up its building red for the entirety of this month.

Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of Americans, and the more that people understand the risk factors and prevention methods, the better they will be.

Nine out of 10 people who experience a cardiac arrest outside of the hospital die in part because they do not receive immediate CPR, which should be a widely known practice.

“Hands-only CPR is easy to learn, and it is easy to do. It is just two steps. Call 9-1-1 and push hard and fast in the center of the chest,” said Heather Evans, Executive Director, American Heart Association.

Evans said that at least one person in every home should know how to perform CPR.

“When seconds matter most, CPR can be the difference in whether you and your friends and family survive. This heart month, make sure at least one person in your household knows hands-only CPR,” said Evans.

The American Heart Association said that with Valentine’s Day in the middle of the month, February is an ideal time to remind Americans to focus on their hearts.

Security Mutual is also taking part in the annual American Heart Walk on April 26.

Find a CPR course near you on the American Heart Association’s website.