SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — February is National Heart Health Month.

Sioux Falls Fire Rescue EMS teams respond to 15-20 cardiac arrest calls per month.

“Cardiac arrest doesn’t affect a certain population, it can affect anybody at anytime,” firefighter Tony Olson said.

Tony Olson has been a firefighter with the department for 18 years. He says when people know CPR it makes a difference.

“I definitely think if bystanders can start quality CPR, it’s definitely going to help the victim’s chance of survival, because obviously, we can only get there as fast as we can get dispatched and drive there.” Olson said.

“As long as hands are going up and down. Blood is going round and round,” Robertson said.

EMS educator, Jeremy Robertson, says the survival rate for cardiac arrest is higher for men than women, which is why he uses both male and female mannequins in his demonstrations.

Robertson says time is the biggest factor with CPR and survival rate.

“When it comes to cardiac arrest, for every minute that somebody’s down, where they don’t receive CPR, their chance of survival drops by 10%,” Jeremy Robertson, EMS educator, said.

Which is why it’s so important for everyone to educate themselves on this life saving practice.

Robertson says Sioux Falls Fire Rescue will be holding a free review event about hands on CPR on February 23rd.