Coon Rapids Heart Safe Community

June 5, 2014  |  Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.

This week, BGS took part in the Coon Rapids Heart Safe Community initiative receiving bystander CPR training from Coon Rapids Police Officer Bryan Platz. We received important instruction on CPR and using the firm’s own AED Device.

The Coon Rapids Heart Safe Community initiative was launched by Coon Rapids Police Officer Bryan Platz in an effort to increase the survival odds of someone who suffers sudden cardiac arrest. Nationwide, only about 8{a0c01d20c42349884e67ff80c137866b0a9fe47aaae8f8a86a605a369ae487c3} of people who suffer sudden cardiac arrest (outside of a hospital setting) will survive. Officer Platz has been on the scene of such events where bystanders were too afraid to help, and he hopes his efforts to inform the community will increase the survival odds for the next victims. His program trains people in hands only CPR and explains the basic instructions to use an AED Device. Medical experts report that if an AED and CPR are used during the crucial first two minutes of a case of sudden cardiac arrest, there is an 85{a0c01d20c42349884e67ff80c137866b0a9fe47aaae8f8a86a605a369ae487c3} success rate in revival. However, if the public doesn’t know what to do, they wait for emergency responders to arrive and miss this opportunity. The Heart Safe initiative is hoping to inform the community and increase the success and survival rate for those suffering from SCA.
The initiative has also created a video explaining some of these basic ideas which can be viewed at Heart Safe Coon Rapids Bystander Training Video .