WHAT IS IT?

The Lend a Hand, Save a Life CPR Challenge seeks to educate Pennsylvanians on how to respond to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), a leading killer of Americans.  When a teen or adult has a sudden cardiac arrest, survival depends on getting CPR from someone nearby.  Immediate CPR from a bystander can double or triple the chance of survival.

The campaign is a call to action to EMS providers, health educators, and community leaders to teach the general public about sudden cardiac arrest and educate 250,000 people across the Commonwealth in bystander CPR, with the overall goal of improving survival rates for out of hospital sudden cardiac arrest.

The campaign will run through May 26, 2013. Collaborative partners include: American Heart Association,  Pennsylvania Bureau of EMS and  Pennsylvania HeartRescue Project.


WE NEED YOUR HELP TO MAKE OUR GOAL! 

 

Campaign Facts

About the Challenge

·         Goal: Educate 250,000 people in Pennsylvania to recognize sudden cardiac arrest and know how to respond.

·         Model: Encourage EMS agencies and AHA training centers to collaborate with their local schools, sports teams, colleges, businesses, and community groups to host CPR training events, and incorporate training into large-scale public events, such as ports games, concerts and festivals.

·         Resources: Materials are available to assist groups in their outreach and training, including a resource packet with fact sheets, scripts and messages for facilitators.  Banners are available for display at events.  Giveaways to distribute at events include, wallet cards with Hands-Only CPR instructions and silicone bracelets with the campaign slogan.

·         Tracking: Participating groups will register their events online (www.heart.org/lendahandsavealife)  to track how many people they trained and the date and location of the training. 

·         Incentives: Prizes will be distributed at a closing award ceremony to the top groups. 

·         Goal: Educate 250,000 people in Pennsylvania to recognize sudden cardiac arrest and know how to respond.

·         Model: Encourage EMS agencies and AHA training centers to collaborate with their local schools, sports teams, colleges, businesses, and community groups to host CPR training events, and incorporate training into large-scale public events, such as ports games, concerts and festivals.

·         Resources: Materials are available to assist groups in their outreach and training, including a resource packet with fact sheets, scripts and messages for facilitators.  Banners are available for display at events.  Giveaways to distribute at events include, wallet cards with Hands-Only CPR instructions and silicone bracelets with the campaign slogan.

·         Tracking: Participating groups will register their events online (www.heart.org/lendahandsavealife)  to track how many people they trained and the date and location of the training. 

·         Incentives: Prizes will be distributed at a closing award ceremony to the top groups. 

Hands-Only CPR Facts

·         Hands-Only CPR has just 3 easy steps (1) Call 911;  (2) Push hard and fast in the center of the chest;  (3) Use an AED, if available.

·         This simple message reduces barriers to training. It is easier to remember (compared to previous approach of teaching rescue breaths, etc), and emphasizes that you can save a life with very basic knowledge and skills.

·         Hands-Only CPR has been proven to be as effective as CPR with breaths in treating adult cardiac arrest victims.

·         The American Heart Association has recommended Hands-Only CPR for adults since 2008.

·         Everyone should recognize and know how to call 911, start chest compressions, and how to find and use an AED.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) Facts

·         Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a leading cause of death in the U.S. - killing more than 350,000 Americans each year.  SCA is the abrupt loss of heart function, usually resulting from an irregular heart rhythm. 

·         Nationally, only 8% of those who suffer SCA survive -  a rate that hasn’t changed significantly in 30 years.

·         Survival rates vary from 1%-50%, depending on where you live in the country, in PA that number is 10%.

·         SCA is a treatable disease. Improving survival requires coordinated community response by the general public, first responders, EMS services and in-hospital care givers.

·         Success begins with public bystanders. Communities with higher bystander CPR participation have higher SCA survival rates.

·         Immediate bystander CPR doubles or triples the chance of survival.

·         80% of SCA events occur in the home.