Do you know what to do if someone has a stroke or needs CPR?

Knowing what to do when someone needs CPR or has a stroke could likely save a life.

Burton Fire District is offering CPR training and stroke education classes after seeing an increase in cardiac arrests and strokes over the past year, according to a district news release.

In 2016, Burton Fire District aided 27 people in cardiac arrest and 30 people who were possibly having strokes, according to the release.

In 2015 the district responded to help 16 people suffering cardiac arrest and 26 people possibly suffering strokes. The district has trained six new CPR instructors after seeing the increase.

“When someone suffers a heart attack or a stroke there is a chain of survival for them,” Lt. John Ireland said. “The chain ends in the hospital but it starts in the community with friends, family, neighbors and co-workers as that first link.” Ireland oversees the medical training for the district, according to the release.

According to the American Heart Association, approximately 90 percent of people who have a cardiac arrest out of a hospital will die. If someone can start using CPR on the victim early on, that person’s chance of survival doubles or triples.

Strokes occur in the U.S. approximately every 40 seconds and they are responsibe for one death every four minutes, according to the American Heart Association. Heart disease remains the No. 1 cause of death in the country.

General education classes will cost $10 per person and official CPR certification classes cost $25 per person. Classes will cover infant, child and adult CPR, and the use of Automated External Defibrillators.

To schedule a class for a family, group, business or as an individual call 843-255-8011 or email safetyed@burtonfd.org.

This story was originally published February 27, 2017 at 9:45 AM with the headline "Do you know what to do if someone has a stroke or needs CPR?."