Hastings High School among First to Educate Freshmen in CPR

Hastings High School was among the first schools in the state to train the class of 2016 in hands-only CPR. The decision to provide training, which took place on January 4, 2013, came in light of a recent bill passed by the Minnesota legislature which states that, “School districts must provide onetime cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automatic external defibrillator instruction as part of their grade 7 to 12 curriculum for all students in that grade beginning in the 2014-2015 school year and later.”
The training sessions, lasting throughout the school day, were taught by Hastings Heart Restart, a community initiative which focuses on education and increasing the survival rate of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) victims. “We are so proud to have this terrific opportunity to train students to help save lives!” said Paul Dawson marketing lead of the Hastings Heart Restart steering committee.
Hastings Heart Restart has set forth a goal of training 10% of the population of the city of Hastings in CPR. This means that they would like to train roughly 2,200 people. Since their creation this past summer, they have trained 936 people.
For more information on how you or your business can sign up for a free, in-house, CPR/AED training session from Hastings Heart Restart, please visit our website at http://www.hastingsheartrestart.org, or call 651-480-4574.

What’s the purpose of Hastings Heart Restart?

Hastings Heart Restart was created with the intention of increasing the survival rate of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) victims and preparing area residents to handle a situation where a SCA victim is unresponsive.  In order for any group to be successful, there must be goals and measurable results.

What are the goals of Hastings Heart Restart? 

Steering Committee and Community Supporters

The Steering Committee of Hastings Heart Restart has created two primary objectives which will be used to measure the group’s success:

1.)   To have at least 10% of Hastings residents trained in CPR.

2.)   ​To encourage businesses to have automated external defibrillators (AEDs) on site and to have AEDs available throughout our community

How does this save lives?

In order to actually save lives, there must be a strong community “Chain of Survival”. The actions that make up the chain of survival are: early access (Call 9-1-1), early administration of CPR, and early defibrillation with an AED.  The techniques which make up the Chain of Survival are taught in our on-site presentations. 

Ready to learn how to save a life?

Interested in participating in CPR/AED training?  Or do you know a business that may be interested?  We would love to hear from you!  For more information, simply reply to this blog or check out hastingsheartrestart.org.  After you contact us, a representative from our organization will contact you and give you more information on how, in just 22 minutes, you can learn how to save a life.

YOU CAN SAVE A LIFE WITH YOUR AED BY BEING AN AED RESPONDER, BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE AN “AED RESPONDER IN THE NATIONAL REGISTRY”?

In the United Sates, Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are used, unfortunately, only 3% of the time to treat sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).  Getting AEDs off the wall and onto victims of SCA is our goal.  Shortening the time to first shock – the most important variable impacting sudden cardiac arrest survival – will save lives.

AED Example

The National AED Registry (www.nationalaedregistry.com) gives AED owners the ability to manage their AEDs and make sure they are working when needed.  The Registry also offers AED owners the chance to save the life of a sudden cardiac arrest victim nearby.  When AEDs are entered into the National AED Registry, there is an opportunity for site managers to select or solicit individuals in their organization to become a “Responder”.  This is done upon entering new AED information or can be done afterwards by “editing” the AED.

But what is an “AED Responder”? 

Practicing CPR

Many cities around the nation subscribe to the AED Link ^TM service.  AED Link is notified when there is a potential sudden cardiac arrest situation.  If, while registering your AED, you chose “Public” in the availability section, your AED would be displayed.  Owners/Site Managers choose the time it is available.  If you select “Private” it will only be displayed if a 9-1-1 call comes in from your address.  You can easily change from one to the other.

When an available public AED is found to be within 1,200 feet of the SCA, “AED Responders” will be notified.  Responders choose whether to be notified via SMS text and/or voice.  The message received would request that the responder get their AED and proceed to an address given in the message.  Again, responders would only be notified if the victim is within 1,200 feet of the AED.

If responders choose not to be notified and do not want to participate, you can still use the Responder page to maintain certification information for them.

We ask that you become and AED responder.  Your choice could save a life.

Hastings Heart Restart would like to thank our friends at Contra Costa Health Services for sharing this article with us.