East Central Illinois Mass CPR Training Event

The East Central Illinois CPR Task Force would like welcome you to our Web Site.

Hosted by East Central Illinois CPR Task Force
Task Force Members

Our Mission:
The mission of the East Central Illinois Operation Heartbeat Committee is to increase the cardiac arrest survival rate in East Central Illinois by strengthening each link in the 'Chain of Survival': early access (911), early CPR, early defibrillation, and early advanced life support through education and increased access to life saving devices and services.

For more information, contact Tasha Cohen at Carle, (217) 326-2675, or Provena Covenant at (217) 359-6619.

Overview of the CPR Task Force Committee Process

Work with the local EMS to assess each link of the chain of survival in the community.
Pinpoint any areas where the incidence of cardiac arrest is, or is likely to be, high.
Compare the local chain of survival to the ideal model and identify missing pieces or areas for improvement.
Identify and prioritize the opportunities for improvement.
Select an activity (or activities) for the component to implement.
Identify partner organizations and resources available to help with the initiative.
Assign responsibilities to committee members. One member may be given primary responsibility for an activity with other members integrated into its implementation to strengthen the effort
Implement this year's activity (or activities).
Report progress, questions and suggestions to the affiliate Task Force Committee

Please contact any of the chairs if you are interested in joining the Task Force Committee or if you would like more information.

Why is CPR training so important?

CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is a simple emergency procedure used when someone's breathing and heartbeat stop suddenly. This is called sudden cardiac arrest. Many things can bring on cardiac arrest, such as heart attack, respiratory arrest, electrocution, drowning, choking, and trauma. Most cardiac arrests are due to abnormal rhythms called arrhythmias. Ventricular fibrillation (VF), the most common arrhythmia that causes cardiac arrest, is a condition in which the heart's electrical impulses suddenly become chaotic, causing the heart pumping action to stop abruptly. Defibrillation is needed to restore a normal rhythm.

While CPR rescue breathing and chest compressions cannot reverse VF, these actions circulate oxygenated blood to the brain, heart and other vital organs, buying precious time until defibrillation can be performed.

Why should more people be trained in CPR?

Survivors of sudden cardiac arrest usually have four things in common:

A "citizen bystander" witnessed the event, realized the seriousness of the situation, decided to help, and called 911 (or the local emergency number) to send for professional help.
A bystander began CPR.
Defibrillation was provided to shock the heart back to a normal rhythm.
EMS responders provided advanced life support.

This series of actions - early access of the EMS system, early CPR, early defibrillation, and early advanced life support - has been called the chain of survival. If this chain of events occurs in rapid succession, victims can become survivors.

Who should learn CPR?

Most often, cardiac arrest occurs suddenly among middle-aged or elderly people at home. This is why it is very important for family members and friends of people with suspected heart problems to learn CPR.

However, cardiac arrest is not restricted to any age group or location. To be on the safe side, everyone should be prepared for cardiac emergencies. Candidates for CPR training include:

People whose jobs involve responding to emergencies.
Employers and employees
Teachers and students
Caretakers of young children
Senior citizens
Anyone who would like to be prepared to save a life.

Why organize a mass CPR training event?

If more people know how to do CPR, victims of cardiac arrest would be more likely to receive CPR immediately - when it can still make a difference. Mass CPR training is one way to increase the number of people in a community who are prepared to help in cardiac emergencies.

In addition to making a community safer, promotion of the event often leads to increase public awareness about CPR and its importance.

Frequently asked questions and answers

Q. What does training include?

A. Heartsaver training includes Adult CPR, Conscious and Unconscious Choking

Q. How old do you have to be to take this training?

A. Just about anyone can learn CPR. We recommend (12 or older) as a minimum age for participants.

Q. I need CPR training for work. Can I get verification of successful course completion at this event?

A. If what you need is Heartsaver card yes you will receive a card that day.

Q. Who needs CPR?

A. About 250,000 sudden cardiac deaths occur each year in the United States, 70 to 80 percent of them in the home. Sudden death, however, can be a reversible condition if more people knew CPR; many more lives could be saved. In fact, it is estimated that at least 20 percent of cardiac arrest victims who receive immediate CPR followed by advanced life support can resuscitated.

Q. What if I don't do CPR properly? Can I hurt the victim?

A. A person who needs CPR technically is already dead - You can't make him or her any worse. By recognizing the need for CPR, deciding to help, calling 911 (or your local emergency number), and starting CPR, you can only improve his or her chances for survival.

Q. What if I'm afraid?

A. Fear is a normal response to an unexpected emergency. By learning as much as, you can in advance, and reviewing our knowledge and skills periodically, you will be better prepared if an emergency arises.

Q. Can I catch a disease from giving CPR?

A. Giving CPR in real emergencies should not be a safety concern for laypersons, since cardiac arrest occurs in the home in the majority of cases (70 to 80 percent), and the victim will likely be someone you know and love and want to help.

Laypersons who respond to emergencies involving strangers should recognize that there is a risk of disease transmission, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this risk is extremely remote. To date no human has ever "caught" AIDS or hepatitis by mouth-to-mouth contact during CPR.

To minimize concerns about the risk of disease transmission, however remote, laypersons can use face masks or face shields during ventilation. If lay persons remain reluctant to provide ventilation, at a minimum, they should call the local EMS number for help, open the victim's airway, and give chest compressions until help arrives.

Q. Can I be in legal jeopardy for giving CPR?

A. Most states have Good Samaritan Laws that protect people who provide emergency care in good faith. Good Samaritan immunity generally prevails when a citizen responds to an emergency and acts as a reasonable and prudent person would under the same conditions. For example, a reasonable and prudent person would: 1) move the victim only if his life was endangered; 2) ask a conscious victim for permission before giving care; 3) check the victim for life-threatening emergencies before giving care; 4) summon professional help by calling 911 or the local emergency number; and 5) continue to provide care until professional help arrives.

Good Samaritan Laws in general require that a rescuer use common sense and a reasonable level of skill, not to exceed the scope of the individual's training in emergency situations. To find out more about Good Samaritan Laws in your state, contact a legal professional, check with your local library.

Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) Programs

Increase the cardiac arrest survival rate in adults by:
Shortening the time to defibrillation
Placing automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in the community
Increasing the number of lay rescuers trained in CPR and AED use.

Both Carle and Provena Covenant have Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) programs available for the community. For more information on these programs, call Carle at 326-2675 or Provena Covenant at 359-6619.

Last updated: May 9, 2001
Mitch Kutzko