“Take10 Montgomery” is a campaign to earn HEARTSafe Community status, where residents are 10% more likely to survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
SILVER SPRING, Md. — MedStar Health hosted its second-annual hands-only CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training workshop on Saturday, June 14 in partnership with Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS), Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Theta Omega Omega Chapter (AKA-TOO). More than 100 attendees filled the gymnasium at Montgomery Blair High School to learn the life-saving skills from MedStar Health physicians, first responders, certified athletic trainers, and other AHA-certified CPR instructors at no cost.
While most Americans think they can do CPR correctly, only two in 10 know the correct pace of chest compressions to keep blood flow moving in a cardiac arrest patient. That’s according to a new national survey conducted by MedStar Health. Physicians say that providing 100-120 chest compressions per minute during CPR gives an unresponsive patient the best chance of survival.
“Unfortunately, only about one in 10 people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest,” said Estelle Jean, MD, board-certified cardiologist with MedStar Health, “The good news is that studies show immediate CPR, properly performed by a bystander, can double or even triple the chances of survival. That's why events like today's are so crucial. We can make a big difference!”
At the event, MCFRS launched the “Take10 Montgomery” campaign, which challenges county residents to take just 10 minutes to learn CPR. The goal of the campaign is to earn Montgomery County a HEARTSafe Community designation from the Citizen CPR Foundation. Residents of HEARTSafe Communities are 10% more likely to survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, according to the foundation. Annually, 15% of the county—roughly 162,340 residents—needs to learn CPR as part of the HEARTSafe application process.
“Today, we kicked off Take10 Montgomery by getting our first residents trained,” said Lt. Irvin Smith, community action coordinator for MCFRS. “We have a ways to go, but we know our residents are going to jump at the opportunity to make Montgomery County HEARTSafe by attending upcoming CPR training events and requesting free trainings we offer to our communities.”
Cardiac arrest survivor Trey Henderson, certified athletic trainer Travis McCormack, MA, ATC, survivor Melonie Leatherwood, and her daughter Megan Leatherwood inspired the crowd with stories of how CPR is truly a life-saving skill. Henderson, an assistant football coach at Georgetown University, was revived after collapsing at practice by McCormack, who is now the health and safety coordinator of Montgomery County Public Schools. Leatherwood fell ill at home and was saved by her teenage daughter, who received CPR instruction from 911 operators over the phone.
“This is a great opportunity to learn a simple skill that can save a life,” McCormack said. “It’s very basic—you push on someone’s chest at a certain rate and depth. By performing that action, you have the power to keep someone alive until advanced care arrives.”
“To see this turnout today kicking off the Take10 Montgomery initiative is fantastic,” Henderson said. "I think the way bystander CPR training has changed the focus to chest compressions gives people relief and makes the skill more accessible. It enables more people to perform the care that’s necessary during a cardiac arrest.”
For those not able to attend the event, MedStar Health has produced a series of CPR and AED training videos featuring AKA-TOO, the Washington Capitals, Washington Wizards, Washington Mystics, Georgetown University, Gallaudet University, and Miss District of Columbia.
Watching the instructional videos can prepare you to perform bystander CPR and operate an AED during a real-life cardiac arrest crisis. You can learn in just minutes by visiting https://www.medstarhealth.org/CPR
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Brendan McNamara
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Brendan.T.McNamara@medstar.net