According to the American Red Cross, more than 1,600 people suffer from cardiac arrest each day in the United States. That means every day someone near you may need your help at any moment. During a cardiac emergency, every second…every minute that passes without CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) or use of an AED (automated external defibrillator) can mean the difference between life and death.
If someone collapses without warning, know your Cardiac Arrest 1-2-3! CALL 9-1-1, START CPR, Use an AED.
Knowing CPR and how to use an AED could save their life. June 1 – 7, 2024 is national CPR and AED awareness week. The more people who get trained in CPR and AED utilization, the more lives that may be saved. Many people receive training for CPR and AED, through the American Red Cross. Get trained through a variety of online or instructor led classroom trainings. Training can be provided for the workplace, professional rescuers, school staff and healthcare providers as well as the public.
Is your Community Cardiac Ready?
The Cardiac Ready Community (CRC) Program helps educate, equip, and empower local community members to be better prepared and more confident in helping someone experiencing a cardiac event before the ambulance arrives. This is important; in the more rural and remote areas, it can take 30 minutes for an ambulance to arrive in an emergency situation.
Both North Dakota and South Dakota offer Cardiac Ready programs.
The primary purpose of the North Dakota Cardiac Ready Community Program is to support bystander, emergency responder, and community private public partnerships for strengthening community-based capacity for cardiac and stroke emergency response and risk reduction programs throughout the state. Learn more about Cardiac Ready Communities in North Dakota.
In South Dakota, the Cardiac Ready Community team works together to create a system of care where community members, city officials, business owners, dispatchers, emergency medical services (EMS), police, fire, and hospital staff work together to educate, equip, and empower local community members to be better prepared and more confident in helping someone experiencing a cardiac event. Learn more about Cardiac Ready Communities in South Dakota.
“I have been a part of the Cardiac Ready Community group in South Dakota for a little over a year and currently serve in a leadership role. This experience has been very rewarding. I had the opportunity to visit Plankinton, a new Cardiac Ready Community, to provide road signs for their community. Their passion and love for their community was clear. It brings me joy to know they are equipped and ready to handle an emergency for a neighbor, friend or loved one. I would love to see all communities equally prepared for a cardiac event,” shared Stephanie Hanson, RN, BSN; program manager with South Dakota Foundation for Medical Care (SDFMC) and a quality improvement advisor with Great Plains Quality Innovation Network (GPQIN).
Get your community Cardiac Ready and raise awareness around CPR and AED utilization. Sign a letter of intent and start the process now to help save a neighbor, a friend, or a family member in your community today.
- Sign a letter of intent (South Dakota)
- Sign a letter of intent (North Dakota)
The CRC Program focuses on advancing health equity, optimizing health through chronic disease prevention, improving response to acute cardiovascular incidents, and supporting disease management. The CRC Program promotes the American Heart Association (AHA) Chain of Survival, which can improve the chances of survival and recovery for victims of cardiac events. As we recognize CPR and AED Awareness Week, what better time to explore the opportunities and steps needed to ensure your community is Cardiac Ready and able to respond and potentially save a life in the event of an emergency?