The Power to Save a Life

CPR and AED training

February is American Heart Month, dedicated to heart health. One of its most profound impacts is empowering communities to respond when every second counts.

By learning CPR, mastering first aid and ensuring access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs), ordinary people can become extraordinary lifelines.

Why CPR matters — and why you matter, too

• One of the main benefits of CPR is the ability to help in the event of a heart attack or cardiac arrest. This emergency training can also prepare you to assist in a natural disaster, like a hurricane, tornado or earthquake.
• Each year, more than 436,000 Americans die from cardiac arrest. Immediate CPR can double or triple survival chances after a cardiac arrest by keeping blood and oxygen flowing.
• Brain damage can begin within 4 minutes of a cardiac issue, and without intervention, death may follow within 4-6 more minutes.
• Many jobs require CPR and first aid training. Even if it’s not required, earning CPR certification can show an employer that you are willing to step up and help in a crisis or emergency.

The difference an electric AED can make

• An AED is a portable medical device that delivers an electric shock to restart the heart or restore a healthy heartbeat during sudden cardiac arrest.
• AEDs are designed to be simple to use, with voice and visual prompts to guide users — even those without training. An AED even determines whether to defibrillate. It will not give an electric shock unless it is necessary, so you cannot harm someone by using an AED on them in an emergency.
• The Occupational Health and Safety Administration strongly encourages the placement of AEDs in workplaces, as 10,000 sudden cardiac arrests occur in workplaces each year.
• The American Heart Association (AHA) reports that AED usage, when combined with CPR, can double or triple survival rates. Nine in 10 cardiac arrest victims who receive a shock in the first minute live, and defibrillation within the first 3 minutes boosts survival to nearly 95%.

What you can do this American Heart Month

1. Get trained. Take a CPR, AED and First Aid class through Red Cross or AHA. Even a few hours of training can give you the confidence and skills to respond effectively in an emergency.
2. Spread awareness. Share CPR resources and encourage others to learn lifesaving techniques. Sharing hands-only CPR videos or local training opportunities helps spread knowledge and creates a network of potential responders.
3. Promote AED access. Advocate for and ensure workplaces, schools, gyms and community spaces have visible AEDs. It can mean the difference between life and death.
4. Support preparedness. Urge employers and organizations to provide training and develop emergency plans.
5. Foster the mindset to act. Encourage others to be ready to call 911, start CPR and use an AED when available. When more people are willing and able to take these steps, we benefit from stronger, safer communities.

Be prepared, be the difference

The tools to save a life are simple, powerful and within reach — but only if we train, normalize response and place AEDs where they are accessible. During American Heart Month, let’s turn awareness into action: a trained community is a community armed with the power to save lives.

Author:
Erin Hollinshead
Executive Director of Safe Electricity