NC Counties Train 30,000 in CPR, Break World Record

Thirty North Carolina counties came together for an extraordinary mission: break a world record while teaching tens of thousands of people how to save a life.

The statewide effort, led by Duke University's School of Medicine, trained 30,000 people in hands-only CPR in just one day. That surpassed India's previous record of 28,000 and created an army of everyday heroes across the state.

Onslow County helped lead the charge, setting up training stations at four locations including the local hospital, community college, Walmart, and even the airport. County leaders want to boost the percentage of CPR-trained residents from 6% to 10%, giving more people the confidence to act in an emergency.

The timing couldn't be more critical. Sudden cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death in America, with only about one in 10 people surviving. But those odds can double or even triple when a bystander starts CPR immediately.

"Hands-only CPR is definitely qualifying people to say I feel empowered to do something because the only thing you can do wrong is to walk by them and do nothing," said Nancy Pate, an emergency educator at Onslow Memorial Hospital. She pointed out that you only have a 25% chance that someone will even call 911 in an emergency, making bystander action even more vital.

The Ripple Effect

This record-breaking day represents more than just a number in a record book. It means 30,000 more North Carolinians now carry the knowledge to restart a heart, comfort a stranger, and potentially save someone's child, parent, or neighbor.

The training focused on hands-only CPR, which removes barriers that might stop someone from helping. No mouth-to-mouth means more people feel comfortable jumping in during those critical first minutes before paramedics arrive.

Communities across eastern North Carolina now have thousands more residents who won't freeze or walk away when someone collapses. They'll step forward, place their hands on a chest, and push hard and fast to the beat of "Stayin' Alive" until help arrives.

For anyone who missed the record-breaking event, Onslow County organizers are still offering training sessions. Residents can email handsonlycpr@onslow.org to schedule individual or group sessions, ensuring the lifesaving momentum continues long after the record books close.

North Carolina didn't just break a record—it built a safety net woven from 30,000 pairs of willing hands.