In partnership with the American Heart Association (AHA), Essentia Health in Fargo Distributed 48 RCR at any time kits to companies in the Red River Valley region on Thursday, March 6.
The objective is to allow individuals to act during a heart emergency.
“The fear of not knowing what to do or hurting someone is certainly an obstacle to the realization of the RCR,” said Ryan Teleford, Stemi program director at Essentia Health.
According to AHA, 90% of people who have cardiac arrest outside a hospital, in part because they do not receive RCR more than half of time. The RCR, especially if it is carried out immediately, can double or triple the chances of survival of a person.
“The increase in the number of people trained to act in a heart emergency is vital for the health of our communities,” added Telford. “Early RCR is a key step in the survival chain for those who know cardiac arrest, which means that we equip people in our state to become rescuers.”
Funded by Essentia Health, the RCR Anytime® kits allow anyone who acquires basic rescue skills in about 20 minutes. Each kit includes teaching materials and practice tools that work sites can use to train their employees in the rescue of RCR of hands only.
Essential Health will also help provide education on how to use employee training kits. Through these kits, AHA and Essentia aim to provide individuals with knowledge and vital skills.
WATCH: Ryan Telford and Jessica Lundgren discuss the importance of the RCR and these kits with the local journalist Kvrr, Juliana Pelaez
“We are deeply grateful to Essentia Health for their generous sponsorship of this crucial initiative,” said Jessica Lundgren, director of school engagement for AHA in Northern Dakota. “With these kits, we hope to provide individuals in our state with confidence and competence they need to act quickly and effectively in the event of a heart emergency.”
The AHA has set the goal of double the survival of cardiac arrest by 2030. In order to save more lives from the 350,000 heart arrests that occur outside the hospital each year, AHA seeks to increase the number of people who respond to cardiac arrest by calling 911, offering high quality RPR and by obtaining and using an AED as soon as it is available.
“It was another way of associating with the AHA while benefiting directly to our community,” said Telford. “Our mission is to make a healthy difference in people’s lives, and it extends beyond the walls of our clinics and hospitals.
“We want our community to feel equipped and prepared for these emergency situations, and these early intervention kits are a community response.”
For companies seeking to update or extend their preparation to the RCR, please send an email (Protected by e-mail).
For more information on the RCR, visit cpr.heart.org.