If you collapsed from cardiac arrest, do you think bystanders would know what to do? What if you suffered a heart attack? Do people even know the difference?

The TODAY show was asking itself these same questions when it decided on topics for its “How To Save A Life” week-long series – and producers called the Red Cross for its expertise.

On Thursday, July 16, Dr. David Markenson, chair of the Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council, showed TODAY national investigative correspondent Jeff Rossen how everyday citizens should react to someone experiencing a heart attack or cardiac arrest.

“Anyone can save a life,” Markenson emphasized.

Every day, more than 1,600 people in the U.S. suffer cardiac arrest. And even though Red Cross instructors like you train more than two million people annually in First Aid, CPR and AED use, this represents a small percentage of the population.

The segment comes on the heels of a report from the Institute of Medicine that recommended public education and training opportunities to reduce barriers to the provision of bystander CPR and defibrillation. Dr. Markenson was one of 19 IOM Committee members who counseled the IOM on its scientific findings, and the Red Cross stood alongside the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology as lead sponsors of the report.

In this important year for resuscitation science, the Red Cross is taking action to marshal the necessary resources and visibility to continuously improve survival rates.

A News Release is also available on RedCross.Org – CLICK HERE