More than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the United States each year, and survival often depends on the actions taken in the first few minutes. During American Heart Month this February, the American Heart Association is encouraging everyday citizens to be prepared to step in and save a life before professional help arrives.
The Association reports that nearly nine out of ten people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital do not survive, often because CPR is not performed quickly. Bystanders intervene less than half of the time, frequently due to uncertainty or lack of training, even though immediate CPR can double or triple a person’s chance of survival.
Through its Nation of Lifesavers initiative, the American Heart Association is urging individuals, families, schools, workplaces, and community organizations to take simple steps that can make a critical difference. Those steps include learning CPR, creating a cardiac emergency response plan, and raising awareness throughout the community.
Hoosiers can take CPR training online or in person, watch short instructional videos on Hands-Only CPR for adults, or learn CPR techniques for infants and children. The Association also promotes the creation of Cardiac Emergency Response Plans, which outline clear steps to follow during a cardiac emergency in settings such as schools, churches, offices, and sports facilities.
As part of American Heart Month, the American Heart Association is also encouraging participation in National Wear Red Day on Friday, February 6, to help raise awareness about heart disease, the nation’s leading cause of death.
The Association says cardiac arrest can happen anywhere—from grocery stores to gyms to youth sporting events—but with basic knowledge and the willingness to act, bystanders can become lifesavers. The Nation of Lifesavers initiative aims to empower people everywhere to be a vital link in the chain of survival.
More information and resources are available at heart.org/nation.
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