National CPR/AED Awareness Week Introduced i...(requests that the President of the Unite...),Health

"The Red Cross has been advocating for the nation to prepare for all types of emergencies; and part of that call to action is to take training in lifesaving skills such as CPR and AED," said, Scott Conner, Vice President for American Red Cross Preparedness and Health And Safety Services. "It's wonderful to have a week devoted to calling people's attention to the fact that saving someone's life is as simple as taking a class."

The American Heart Association and most Emergency Medical Service (EMS) responders advocate the "chain of survival," which represents the four crucial links of the emergency treatment of sudden cardiac arrest. The links are:

1) Early Access to Care

2) Early Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, or CPR

3) Early Defibrillation

4) Early Advanced Care

"The chain of survival is only as strong as its most critical links, which in most cases of cardiac arrest is early CPR and defibrillation," said Robert O'Connor, Chair of the American Heart Association's Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee. "It is crucial that more Americans are trained in CPR and that AEDs are made more accessible to the public. A national awareness week will be a strong step for our nation in making that a priority."

The American Red Cross helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Last year, almost a million volunteers and 35,000 employees helped victims of almost 75,000 disasters; taught lifesaving skills to millions; and helped U.S. service members separated from their families stay connected. Almost 4 million people gave blood through the Red Cross, the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. The American Red Cross is part of the International Red Cro
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