CPR and AED Awareness Week

If someone collapsed in front of you, would you know what to do?

For many people, the answer is no- not because they don’t care, but because they believe CPR is only for trained professionals. During CPR and AED Awareness Week (June 1st-7th), the American Heart Association is working to change that belief and remind communities that lifesaving action starts with everyday people.

Cardiac arrest can happen at home, at work, in your neighborhood or in our schools. When it does, immediate CPR and using an available automated external defibrillator (AED) can double or even triple a person’s chance of survival. Yet more than two in three people in the U.S. still think only people with medical training should step in. That hesitation can cost precious time — and lives.

People across the country are working together to help make it easier to get trained on CPR and to find more ways to get AEDs in public spaces like schools.

Learn more about how you can help these efforts in your state.

You do not need to be a medical professional to save a life. Hands only CPR is simple to learn and easy to remember, and it empowers parents, caregivers, neighbors, coworkers — everyone — to act with confidence. Ready to learn CPR or refresh your knowledge? Visit heart.org/nation for more information.