BAKERSFIELD, CA. — According to the American Heart Association, more than 350,000 cardiac arrests happens outside of the hospital.

National CPR and AED Awareness Week is June 1 to 7, the American Heart Association spotlights how lives can be saved by learning CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED).

"The hands-only CPR technique is an easy two-step process," Josh Pierce, Memorial Hospital EMS. "Call 9-1-1 and push hard and fast at the center of the chest."

Hands-Only CPR is CPR without mouth-to-mouth breaths.

About 70 percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen in homes and only about 46 percent of people who experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest receive the immediate help that they need before professional help arrives. Performing CPR can double or triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival.

For more information, visit heart.org/HandsOnlyCPR.