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Click for A Survivor's Story |
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All of a sudden, I grabbed my face and said, “Uh-oh guys. I need help.” It was the ‘widow-maker’ that got me. It was a fatal heart attack, meaning that I was gone, I was dead before I hit the floor.
---Rick Rockwood, Superior, WI |
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Kitchen Inspires Gift of 22 AEDs |
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When Bob Kitchen died, the loss of his spirit and drive left a hole in the Chisholm Aviation Days Committee that just couldn’t be filled. When the group disbanded recently, Charlie McCauley and other members sought a way to use remaining funds in a way that helped people and memorialized their friend, who they described as “one of the greatest community volunteers this city has seen.” |
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NewPage Duluth A HeartSafe Business |
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NewPage Duluth mill worker John Porter had no heart disease and just passed a physical when his heart suddenly went into arrythmia and he suffered a Sudden Cardiac Arrest at work. Thanks to coworkers trained in CPR and an employer that had invested in Automatic External Defibrillators, John is here today. Read more. |
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Helping Ordinary People to Save Lives
HeartBeat Northland is a public/private partnership, including the Northland Chapter, to save lives through early defibrillation, training in CPR/AED, and public education about Sudden Cardiac Arrest.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA)
Each year, over 465,000 Americans die of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), making it the leading cause of death in the United States*. Two-thirds of SCA deaths occur at work, home, or play. Just one-third occur in hospitals. The most common reason for SCA is ventricular fibrillation—a condition where the heart’s electric impulses become irregular and the heart cannot pump blood throughout the body.
*Cardiovascular Health Branch, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2001; 104:2158-2163.
Reversing SCA: The “Cardiac Chain of Survival”
- Call 911 Early access to care is vital. Know the signs of SCA and call 911 immediately;
Perform CPR Early and continuous cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) until help arrives assists blood circulation;
- Use an AED Early defibrillation sends an electric current through the heart to restore organized rhythm and thus helps the heart to pump and circulate blood normally;
- EMS Responds Early advanced care by trained EMS teams and transportation to a hospital is critical.
How Automated External Defibrillators (AED) Save Lives
Almost anyone can use an AED to save a life because the device is so user-friendly. After an SCA, the device will analyze a victim’s condition and, if necessary, deliver an electrical shock to the heart to reverse sudden cardiac arrest. Easy operation with clear voice prompts and automatic analysis enables you to use safely the device with minimal or no training.
Every Second Counts!
A shock within one minute raises the chance of survival by 90 percent. In addition to CPR, most people suffering an SCA also need an immediate electrical shock to restore the heart’s normal rhythm. The shorter the time to defibrillation, the better the chance of survival. If a victim must wait ten minutes for a shock, the chance of survival drops to less than 5 percent.
Start Your Own Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) Program
Place an AED in your facility and train staff in CPR to follow the lead of organizations and communities around the country and bring defibrillation to your business or organization. It is easy and quite affordable. Let us help you launch your own public access defibrillation (PAD) program with high quality AEDs from Cardiac Science, Zoll, or Philips. For information, call 218-722-0071 or 800-733-2767 or email Anthony Carr at tony@redcrosstc.org . Check out base prices in "Related Documents" below!
Report AED Locations and Save Even More Lives
If a coworker or client has an SCA, they don't have much time. When emergency dispatchers receive a 911 call about a cardiac arrest patient, it is essential to guide them to the nearest AED. After you purchase your AED, please report its location to the Duluth Fire Department by calling 218-723-3215. The AED location will be recorded in the emergency dispatch center system and can be identified for callers to 911 and emergency responders, saving precious time and maybe even a life.
Donate an AED
You can donate an AED to a worthy organization by contacting the Northland Chapter, American Red Cross by calling 218-722-0071 or 800-950-4275 or emailing jhanne@redcrossnorthland.org. As a participating member of HeartBeat Northland, the Northland Chapter strongly encourages establishing a Public Access Defibrillation program that includes placement of an AED and American Red Cross CPR/AED training as a means to saving cardiac victims’ lives.
For More Information
Email: jhanne@redcrossnorthland.org
Northland Chapter, American Red Cross, 2524 Maple Grove Road, Duluth, MN 55811
218-722-0071 or 800-950-4275
HeartBeat Northland Partners Include: American Red Cross, Northland Chapter; Arrowhead EMS Association; Cardiac Science; City of Duluth, MN; City of Hibbing, MN; City of Superior, WI; The Chamber, Superior-Douglas County Area; Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce; Duluth Fire Department; Duluth Police Department; Gold Cross Ambulance; Hermantown Chamber of Commerce; Hibbing Fire Department, St. Luke's Hospital, and the Superior Fire Department
Media Partners Include: Midwest Communications and Stewart-Taylor Printing
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