October is Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month. The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation states, “Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is a life-threatening emergency that occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating. It strikes people of all ages who may seem to be healthy, even children and teens. When SCA happens, the person collapses and doesn’t respond or breathe normally. They may gasp or shake as if having a seizure. SCA leads to death in minutes if the person does not get help right away. Survival depends on people nearby calling 911, starting CPR, and using an AED (if available) as soon as possible.”

Their call to action is, “CALL-PUSH-SHOCK”.  Simply put, if you witness a cardiac arrest, CALL 911, keep your phone on speaker so you can continue to update the 911 operator. PUSH (Begin CPR) and SHOCK (if an AED is available).  You can triple the chance of survival by immediately giving CPR. With nearly 70% of out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests occurring in the home, it is very likely that a family member could be saving the life of a loved one!

 The Town of Glastonbury is a Heart-Safe Community, and there are AEDS located throughout Town facilities to help the community act while awaiting arrival of first responders.  The Heart Safe designation also requires ongoing CPR training opportunities for community members.  This month, consider taking a CPR class and be empowered to save a life!  Please contact Glastonbury EMS at CPR@gvaa.org to inquire about training.

Image source: https://www.sca-aware.org/sca-awareness-toolkit