February is American Heart Month, and the City of Lee’s Summit is offering free Hands-Only™ CPR training Feb. 23 at the Gamber Community Center, 4 SE Independence Ave. These training sessions provide vital information, which can greatly increase the chances of survival for individuals who experience sudden cardiac arrest.

There will be three, 45-minute training sessions available at 9 a.m., 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Individuals experienced in teaching CPR will conduct the training sessions, which include a brief video and the use of mannequins to practice chest compressions. Participants will receive a certificate and free T-shirt, while supplies last.

Registration is available at LSparks.net or by calling 969-1500. Space is limited for these training sessions, so it is best to register early. Walk-ins will be permitted if space is still available the day of the event. Nearly 900 residents have participated in these training sessions since they first began in 2015.

“The more people who know CPR, the greater the chance someone will step in to help during an emergency,” said Lee’s Summit Assistant Fire Chief Jim Eden. “We want every Lee’s Summit resident to learn this important skill so that when an emergency happens, the survival rate is greater.”

According to the American Heart Association, 70 percent of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home. Learning Hands-Only™ CPR could mean the difference between life and death during an emergency.

The City’s Health Education Advisory Board sponsors the event along with community partners, including the Lee’s Summit Fire Department, Lee’s Summit Parks & Recreation, Lee’s Summit R-7 School District, Saint Luke’s East Hospital, Truman Medical Center, Lee’s Summit Medical Center and John Knox Village. The training sessions are funded in part by a grant from Baptist-Trinity Lutheran Legacy Foundation.