KHANH HOA, Vietnam -- Songs were played in multiple languages as the U.S. Navy and partner nations met to enhance their skills in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during a subject matter expert exchange as a part of the final stop of Pacific Partnership 2017 in Nha Trang, Vietnam.
"Music can help save lives," said Cmdr. Toru Kubo, the CPR instructor from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. "During CPR, you should push on the chest at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute, and the beat of a song can be a helpful reminder of how fast to push."
Kobu played the popular Japanese theme song from the cartoon "Anpanman's March" to help participants maintain a rhythm which matched the desired rate of compressions per minute.
The Americans jumped into the discussion and added their version of a CPR pace song, the 1970s disco hit "Stayin' Alive" made famous by the Bee Gees. Local Vietnamese lifeguards followed suit, playing the local hit "Nối Vng Tay Lớn" which they use for the same purpose.
The cultural exchange of music resulted in an animated training session as the participants performed CPR on a mannequin while their counterparts sang their respective songs in the background to encourage their counterparts and assist them in setting the right pace.
About 75 combined personnel from the U.S., Japan and Vietnam attended the CPR class, where the attendees also learned how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED). The portable electronic device delivers an electrical current to the heart, reestablishing an effective heart rhythm.
A professional lifeguard from Vietnam, Phan Thai Hoang, stated he had never used an AED before. "This session gave us an opportunity to reinforce our existing skills and learn new ones," he stated.
The multi-national team members moved into the water the next day for a lifeguard field training exercise where the participants exchanged lifesaving skills and conducted simulated search and rescue operations, improving capabilities and creating lasting bonds through the exchange of culture, language and knowledge.
According to the American Heart Association, if CPR is performed in the first few minutes of cardiac arrest it can double or triple a person's chance of survival. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that the world's leading cause of death is cardiovascular disease, which includes heart attacks and strokes. Drowning is the 3rd leading cause of unintentional injury death which highlights the importance of CPR training.
Pacific Partnership is the largest annual multilateral humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Asia-Pacific and aims to enhance regional coordination in areas such as medical readiness and preparedness for manmade and natural disasters.
Now in its 12th year, Pacific Partnership continues to enhance regional alliances and host nation relationships through civil-military cooperation, medical exchanges, and inter-government agency coordination.