The American Heart Association and East End Fellowship launched a new Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP) at the historic Robinson Theater. Located in Richmond’s East End, the Robinson Theater is a space for community events and programs, including East End Fellowship’s weekly Sunday service.
A CERP is a written document with that establishes evidence-based steps to reduce death from cardiac arrest in any setting – be it a school, community organization, workplace, or sports facility. Thanks to a generous donor, the Association provided East End Fellowship with a CPR Anywhere Training Kit and a grant to purchase an AED, in addition to helping them implement their new CERP.
“CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple chance of survival,” said Robin Gahan, Vice President of Community Impact with the American Heart Association in Central Virginia. “With Hands-Only CPR education, increased access to AEDs, and the implementation of comprehensive cardiac emergency response plans, we are empowering our communities to turn bystanders into lifesavers.”
In the United States, more than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of the hospital each year, and only about 40% of people get the immediate help they need. What’s more, the lack of CPR training and resources is a health equity issue. A woman is less likely than a man to receive CPR from a bystander. Black or Hispanic adults who experience a witnessed cardiac arrest outside the hospital are substantially less likely to receive lifesaving care from a bystander.
“We are grateful to have the knowledge to step in and help in an emergency,” said Betsy Hart, Executive Director with the Robinson Theater. “We care about keeping our East End community safe and this is an important step forward for us.”
Kristen Siebert of Community Safety & Response Educators (CSRE) provided CPR and AED training for the East End Fellowship staff at the Robinson Theater who can now educate their colleagues and community members on the lifesaving skill of Hands-Only CPR and how to use an AED.
Join the Nation of Lifesavers. You could be the difference between life and death for someone experiencing a cardiac event. Be ready to act by learning CPR.