Why schools?

• Our schools are natural gateways to teach an entire generation how to respond to OHCA (out of hospital cardiac arrest).
• Schools are intended to prepare students to contribute to their communities and assisting in an OHCA with CPR is an essential contribution.
• Iowa is currently the only state to require CPR as a graduation requirement.

When has teaching a student CPR worked?

• In 2010, a Wisconsin teenager was electrocuted by a 7,200-volt power line and he went into sudden cardiac arrest. The boy’s sister had been trained in CPR during school and began performing proper CPR on her brother.
• When the EMTs arrived, the teen was still unresponsive but his sister was continuing to administer CPR until the first responders could take over. According to a fire captain, the girl saved her brother’s life.

Where can tweens, teens and schools learn more about the importance of CPR?

• In 2009, the American Heart Association launched Be the Beat (http://www.bethebeat.heart.org/), a free online cardiac arrest awareness program that teaches middle school tweens and teens fun ways to learn the basics of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED).
• Video games, interactive quizzes and 100-beat-per-minute songs help teach teens and tweens what to do if someone collapses in sudden cardiac arrest. The website also features a section for teachers and administrators who want to implement a CPR/AED education program in their schools.
• Free downloadable lesson plans and templates for creating and sustaining an in-school emergency response plan are included in the teacher/administrator portion of the site, www.BetheBeat.heart.org/schools.

The American Heart Association supports policies to include CPR training in schools - our kids can save lives if we train them!

Urge Your Lawmakers to Support SB 351 to Protect PA's Good Samaritans!
For Every Minute CPR is Delayed, Survival Rates Drop 7%-10%


Did you know that bystanders who aid someone in an emergency using CPR, and businesses that want to place an AED on their premises, are not granted liability protections under PA's Good Samaritan Law?

June 1-7, 2011 has been designated as National CPR and AED Awareness Week to celebrate advancements that have been made and to educate the public about the important role they play in saving lives. Unfortunately, there is still work to be done in Pennsylvania.

The good news is that a bill has been introduced that would remove barriers, making it safe for Pennsylvanians to render aid without fear of liability and your message can help make that a reality!

AEDs are made to be used by the general public and their technology and capabilities have advanced considerably since the law was first enacted. They provide specific voice instructions to the user and will only deliver a shock if an irregular heart rhythm is confirmed. In fact, PA's 911 protocols now require all 911 emergency operators to be trained in CPR/AED instruction so that when bystanders call 911 for assistance, the operator instructs the bystander on how to properly administer CPR and use an AED. Ironically, current law does not protect the bystander from liability in rendering assistance.

Please send PA's lawmakers a message now urging their support of SB 351!

Thank you for helping update PA's Good Sam law!

What is sudden cardiac arrest?

• Sudden cardiac arrest is most often caused by coronary heart disease resulting in a heart attack.
• Cardiac arrest can also be induced by trauma, an overdose, or drowning.
• When a victim suffers sudden cardiac arrest, blood circulation ceases, which prevents the flow of oxygen to the body. Without oxygen to the brain, the victim can lose consciousness and absent or abnormal breathing ensues. This successive process occurs in only a few seconds – and after the first five minutes with no CPR, the victim will likely suffer brain damage or death.

What is CPR?

• The purpose of CPR is to maintain or restore the flow of oxygenated blood to the brain and heart.
• Performing CPR involves a series of chest compressions and rescue breathing on a victim.

Why do we need more people trained in CPR?

• EMS teams treat nearly 300,000 victims of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) each year nationwide – but the first few minutes of response are critical and often the EMS teams cannot arrive in time.
• Fewer than eight percent of OHCA victims survive.
• An OHCA victim’s chances of survival double or triple if a bystander is trained in CPR.
• Only one-in-four OHCA victims receive bystander CPR.

June 1-7, 2011 has been designated as National CPR and AED Awareness Week to celebrate advancements that have been made and to educate the public about the important role they play in saving lives. Unfortunately, there is still work to be done. Surprisingly, as PA's law is currently written, bystanders who aid someone in an emergency using CPR, and businesses who want to place an AED on their premises, are not granted liability protections when acting in good faith under the Good Samaritan Law.

The good news is that a bill has been introduced that would remove these barriers, making it safe for Pennsylvanians to render aid without fear of liability and your message can help make that a reality!

AEDs are made to be used by the general public and their technology and capabilities have advanced considerably since the law was first enacted. They provide specific voice instructions to the user and will only deliver a shock if an irregular heart rhythm is confirmed. In fact, PA's 911 protocols now require all 911 emergency operators to be trained in CPR/AED instruction so that when bystanders call 911 for assistance, the operator instructs the bystander on how to properly administer CPR and use an AED. Ironically, current law does not protect the bystander from liability in rendering assistance.

Please send PA's lawmakers a message now urging their support of SB 351!

Thank you for helping update PA's Good Sam law!

• Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in the U.S.
• Everyone should know how to perform CPR in an emergency.
• Immediate, effective CPR could more than double a victim's chance of survival.
• Push on the chest at a rate of at least 100 beats per minute.
• Push to the beat of "Stayin' Alive" and you could save a life.

Click here for more information and a how-to video!

This post is part of our series on CPR/AED Awareness Week. To see all CPR/AED Awareness week posts click here.

Play the Be the Beat game today to get a feel for 100 beats per minute - which is exactly the speed of properly administered CPR!

This post is part of our series on CPR/AED Awareness Week. To see all CPR/AED Awareness week posts click here.

After all the information shared throughout this week, you may be left wondering - so how do I get trained?!?! Here's your answer! The American Heart Association offers a variety of classes depending on your needs.


Our trainings are provided through our Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) department - click here to visit the ECC Class Connector today and find a class near you! Or you can call 1-877-AHA-4CPR

Already trained? Visit the CPR Week website and register so your CPR action counts toward our goal!

This post is part of our series on CPR/AED Awareness Week. To see all CPR/AED Awareness week posts click here.

It's National CPR/AED Awareness Week, which means there’s no better time to stop and reflect on the significant impact these lifesaving measures have made in our communities and perhaps in our own lives.

In 1998, Pennsylvania made great strides in advancing AED policy by passing a law (Act 126) that granted any individual who in good faith uses an AED in an emergency, a.k.a. “lay rescuer”, immunity from civil liability. Now over ten years later, Pennsylvania is in a good position to strengthen the AED Good Samaritan law and extend those same protections to businesses and persons who acquire and maintain an AED. Senator Lisa Baker introduced Senate Bill 1322, which would do just that. The bill has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee and we look forward to working with our volunteers to advance the bill before the end of this year.

Click here to send a message to your Pennsylvania state legislators today in support of Senate Bill 1322!

Also of note, last month, the House Education Committee heard testimony on a related bill, House Bill 1803, which would require the placement of an AED in every school entity, nonpublic and private school in each occupied building on its premises. The bill also outlines training requirements for the appropriate use of AEDs, provisions to accept donations for CPR and AED programs and establishes a pilot cardiovascular screening program for 6th graders from selected schools. The bill remains in the House Education Committee and the American Heart Association will continue to offer support to help advance the bill.

The video below tells the story of Ricky Davis, a Philadelphia man who was saved by the timely application of CPR and proper use of a publicly-available AED.


This post is part of our series on CPR/AED Awareness Week. To see all CPR/AED Awareness week posts click here.

Ohio first looked at AED policy back in 1998, with passage of our Good Samaritan bill. It grants immunity to any layperson who attempts to save the life of another with the use of an AED. Now, the state is poised to add to this language with House Bill 226, sponsored by Representatives Heard and Letson. The goal is to expand this coverage to program faciliatators and premise owners to further encourage the placement of AEDs.

In addition, Ohio has placed many AEDs in schools through a $5 million grant program. While schools may need more than one AED for best coverage, the grant program provided assistance to start a program.

Now, Ohio will see introduction of legislation to further encourage students to learn first aid and CPR. A House Bill, championed by Representative Grossman, is expected to be introduced any day.

Send a message to your legislators today about the importance of CPR and AEDs in saving lives - it's easy, just click here!

This post is part of our series on CPR/AED Awareness Week. To see all CPR/AED Awareness week posts click here.

AHA advocates successfully passed legislation a decade ago that provides immunity from civil liability for laypersons that render emergency care or treatment with and AED. The law also covers physicians involved in placing the AEDs, individuals or entities that provide the CPR/AED training, and the individuals or entities responsible for the site where the AED is located.

This post is part of our series on CPR/AED Awareness Week. To see all CPR/AED Awareness week posts click here.

Delaware can be proud to be maybe the only state with an AED placed in every public school as well as AEDs in every private and parochial school of a reasonably minimal size. The State Office of Emergency Medical Services has managed a strong funding stream over the past several years supporting the deployment of these devices across the state.

Advocate Stew Krug, founder of the Matthew Krug Foundation (named for his son who died of a sudden cardiac arrest in 2001) has been instrumental in this effort and works tirelessly to raise awareness and skills related to AEDs and performing CPR. The American Heart Association is working with Stew, Rep. Mike Ramone, and others to incorporate CPR and AED awareness, skills, and training into model units of the health curriculum of Delaware’s schools.

We are excited about the progress we’ve made and the lives we’ve saved so far, and will continue to save in the future.

Educate your Delaware lawmakers on the importance of CPR/AED awareness today - click here!

This post is part of our series on CPR/AED Awareness Week. To see all CPR/AED Awareness week posts click here.

The American Heart Association actively pursues public policy to strengthen the Chain of Survival to ensure all patients receive proper care when experiencing an acute cardiovascular event. A strong emergency response system is a critical factor in saving the lives of victims of heart attack, cardiac arrest and stroke. Advocacy initiatives support for the purchase and appropriate use of CPR and automated external defibrillators within the context of a coordinated emergency response plan and cardiovascular surveillance systems. The following policy priorities give us the framework to pursue life-saving policy by strengthening the system of care.

At the federal level, we are actively working on the following priorities (click each to access the corresponding fact sheet):

Access to Emergency Care in Rural America
The AHA supports a restoration of the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Rural and Community Access to Emergency Devices Program to its 2005 level. It allows states to buy and place automated external defibrillators where sudden cardiac deaths and likely to occur and trains first responders and lay rescuers in its use to improve survival rate from sudden cardiac arrest.

Josh Miller HEARTS Act
This legislation provides funding for schools to purchase AEDs and to train staff in the use of CPR and defibrillation.

At the state level, our policy priorities around CPR and AEDs are as follows:

Encourage Access and Use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs)
Champion public policy initiatives that promote the purchasing and placement of AEDs for first responders and targeted responders in high-risk locations. Remove obstacles for the purchase, placement, and usage of AEDs, including extending Good Samaritan law coverage to all AED users and program facilitators regardless of implementation of training or other program requirements.

Support the Establishment of Quality Community AED Programs
Assure that all public policy related to Community AED programs are consistent with the American Heart Association’s policy statements and guidelines. Assure that public policy regarding the placement of AEDs in schools incorporates training and medical emergency response plans in schools. Support efforts to appropriate funding to support the implementation of quality Community AED programs that follow AHA guidelines.

Promote CPR and AED Training for Both Professionals and Lay Rescuers as a Critical Part of the Chain of Survival
Support public policy initiatives that require CPR and AED training for licensure/certification of professionals that may need to respond to medical emergencies. Work to assure that AHA CPR and first aid training are recognized by licensing agencies that regulate professions that are required to have CPR and/or first aid training for licensure/certification. Support policies that encourage bystander CPR. Support CPR and AED training in schools with an emphasis on hands-on coursework.

When addressing the placement and use of AEDs, we focus often on Good Samaritan policy. Good Samaritan policy is a statute that protects a person from liability when voluntarily providing aid to someone in imminent danger. Such policies encourage both bystander CPR and AED use. Some of our states are working on strengthening the Good Samaritan policies to protect businesses from liabilities related to AED use to encourage the placement of AEDs in as many businesses as possible.
Throughout the rest of the week, we will be providing policy updates specific to each of our five states. Check back regularly or subscribe to keep up!

This post is part of our series on CPR/AED Awareness Week. To see all CPR/AED Awareness week posts click here.

The placement of automated external defibrillators can help save lives in your community. Want to learn more? Here are a few basics:

What is an AED?
The automated external defibrillator (AED) is a computerized medical device. An AED can check a person’s heart rhythm. It can recognize a rhythm that requires a shock. And it can advise the rescuer when a shock is needed. The AED uses voice prompts, lights and text messages to tell the rescuer the steps to take.

AEDs are very accurate and easy to use. With a few hours of training, anyone can learn to operate an AED safely. There are many different brands of AEDs, but the same basic steps apply to all of them. The AHA does not recommend a specific model.

What's the AHA position on placement of AEDs?
The AHA strongly advocates that all EMS first-response vehicles and ambulances be equipped with an AED or another defibrillation device (semiautomatic or manual defibrillator). The AHA also supports placing AEDs in targeted public areas such as sports arenas, gated communities, office complexes, doctor's offices, shopping malls, etc. When AEDs are placed in the community or a business or facility, the AHA strongly encourages that they be part of a defibrillation program in which:

• Persons that acquire an AED notify the local EMS office.
• A licensed physician or medical authority provides medical oversight to ensure quality control.
• Persons responsible for using the AED are trained in CPR and how to use an AED.

Why should people who are responsible for operating an AED receive CPR training?
Early CPR is an integral part of providing lifesaving aid to people suffering sudden cardiac arrest. CPR helps to circulate oxygen-rich blood to the brain. After the AED is attached and delivers a shock, the typical AED will prompt the operator to continue CPR while the device continues to analyze the victim.

How can I enroll in a CPR or AED class?
The American Heart Association offers CPR and AED training through its network of Training Centers. To locate a Training Center near you, call 1-877-AHA-4CPR, or use our online class finder.

Additional information can be found on the American Heart Association's website.

In 1960, a group of resuscitation pioneers combined mouth-to-mouth breathing with chest compressions to create Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, the lifesaving action we now call “CPR.” This action, when provided immediately after a sudden cardiac arrest, can double – even triple – a victim’s chance of survival.

What is CPR?
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a combination of rescue breathing and chest compressions delivered to victims thought to be in cardiac arrest. When cardiac arrest occurs, the heart stops pumping blood. CPR can support a small amount of blood flow to the heart and brain to “buy time” until normal heart function is restored.

Why should I learn CPR?
The most important link in the chain of survival in the community is the layperson. Approximately two thirds of sudden deaths due to coronary heart disease occur outside of the hospital. Many of these deaths can be prevented with quick bystander response; call 911, then initiate CPR.

How do I perform CPR?
During an AHA Basic Life Support (BLS) course an AHA instructor will use lecture and mannequin practice to teach students how to perform CPR:

• When and how to provide rescue breathing that will deliver air to the lungs of a victim suffering from respiratory arrest
• When and how to provide chest compressions that will circulate the blood of a victim suffering from cardiac arrest.

Find a class near you using our ECC Class Connector.

Do I have to perform rescue breathing?
Not in all cases, no. Hands-Only CPR can be just as effective with certain patients - visit our Hands-Only CPR FAQ to read more about this approach and when is best to use it.



Is CPR a guarantee for survival?
No. Always call "911" at the first symptoms of a heart attack. CPR alone is not enough to save lives in most cardiac arrests. If "911" is called immediately, followed by early CPR, early defibrillation, and early advanced medical care, the person will have a better chance to survive.

CPR Facts:

• The American Heart Association trains more than 12 million people in CPR annually, including healthcare professionals and the general public.
• Effective bystander CPR, provided immediately after sudden cardiac arrest, can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival.
• The most effective rate for chest compressions is 100 compressions per minute – the same rhythm as the beat of the BeeGee’s song, “Stayin’ Alive.”

This post is part of our series on CPR/AED Awareness Week. To see all CPR/AED Awareness week posts click here.

Throughout this week, you will often see the term Chain of Survival. This refers to our suggested best-practice response to a cardiovascular event. Our research has provided us the foundation to establish this Chain of Survival and CPR and AEDs play a huge role in this process. A strong Chain of Survival can improve chances of survival and recovery for victims of heart attack, stroke and other emergencies. The steps in the Chain of Survival are as follows:

1. Recognize an emergency
2. Call 9-1-1!
3. Begin Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
4. Use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)

As you can see, CPR and the use of an AED are two of the major steps of this Chain of Survival. As we raise CPR/AED awareness this week, it is important to recognize that these steps are more than just individual actions, they are steps in a larger chain that, when followed, increase survival rates dramatically.

Here's a video produced by the American Heart Association to show the Chain of Survival in action.

This post is part of our series on CPR/AED Awareness Week. To see all CPR/AED Awareness week posts click here.

In December 2007, Congress unanimously passed a resolution to create National CPR and AED Awareness Week. Occurring during the first week of June each year, National CPR and AED Awareness Week will increase public training in and awareness of the use of CPR and AEDs.

Next week is National CPR/AED Awareness Week (June 1-7)! We are excited for this opportunity to provide some more education and information around these lifesaving steps in the chain of survival.

While the American Heart Association overall will be focusing on educating one million Americans about CPR (which we will be actively supporting as well!), we will provide a more advocacy-specific perspective throughout the week. Check back for updates including an overview of AHA's policy around AEDs, state updates on current/ongoing CPR/AED policies and much more! For more information on National CPR/AED Awareness Week visit http://www.cprweek.org/.

The best way to keep up with our blog is to subscribe! Just click here to subscribe with your favorite RSS reader or through any email. For instructions on how to follow the RSS feed in Outlook 2007 click here.

This post is part of our series on CPR/AED Awareness Week. To see all CPR/AED Awareness week posts click here.