Sudden Cardiac Arrest is the leading cause of death on school campuses. Studies show a 7 to 10 percent decrease in survival for every minute CPR is not performed. The Sweetwater Union High School District launched a comprehensive training initiative to train more than 20,000 students in hands-only CPR, ensuring they are prepared to respond effectively in emergency situations. Training is conducted by qualified instructors and reflects SUHSD’s commitment to student safety and emergency preparedness.
During Sudden Cardiac Awareness Month, Sweetwater Union High School District trained about 900 ninth and tenth graders in hands-only CPR on Oct. 30. More than 250,000 San Diegans have been trained in hands-only CPR as part of the County and UC San Diego’s Revive & Survive initiative to save lives.
The UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science and the County of San Diego Emergency Medical Services convened a coalition of leaders to save lives by training one million San Diegans across the region in hands-only CPR.
UCSD Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science Dean Cheryl Anderson said approximately 95% of cardiac arrest die before they reach the hospital.
“Our Revive & Survive initiative has trained one million people to do CPR or cardiopulmonary resuscitation. We will save lives in this county by ensuring that all people who have cardiac arrest here in San Diego receive bystander CPR,” she said.
“What we are asking you to do is if someone is unconscious and, on the ground, go up to them. If they are not breathing, tilt their chin. Are they still not breathing? Start compressions,” said Deputy Chief Medical Officer, City of San Diego & SDFD Associate Professor UCSD School of Medicine J. Joelle Donfrio-Odmann.
Sudden cardiac arrest survivor Rob Hoadley said while he was training to go back into the military, and was in the best shape of his life, he went into a meeting at work, he collapsed and went into a full cardiac arrest.
“My construction manager, Tom Farley, and he did bystander CPR, and he was able to put his hands on me in a cardiac arrest and saved my life,” he said.
San Diego County Fire Director Jeff Collins said it is not only the first responders that can save a life.
“It is the community. You all have that power. It can happen anytime, anywhere to anyone,” he said.
Hoadley said without bystander CPR, my wife would be a widow, and my two daughters Kristen and Lauren would be orphans. The life that you save if you are trained in CPR could be someone you love the most,” he said.
Anderson said to reach out to Revive & Survive San Diego at revivesurvive.uscs.edu and help save lives in San Diego County and beyond.
