The American Heart Association, the worldwide leader in resuscitation science and education, added lifesavers to the chain of survival by providing youth sports organizations in the Upper Valley with CPR & First Aid in Youth Sports™ Training Kits. A total of 30 kits, with the support of The Jack and Dorothy Byrne Foundation, were distributed to local youth sports organizations at the Kilton Public Library in West Lebanon on Saturday, November 4th.
Tom Mossotti, the Association’s Senior Business Development Manager
The Association’s CPR & First Aid in Youth Sports Training Kit is designed specifically for youth sports coaches to teach the lifesaving skill of CPR, how to use an AED, and how to help during sports-related emergencies. The course is designed to be completely self-facilitated, with no additional training required for the facilitator. The kit contains everything needed to train 10 to 20 people at once in CPR and first aid. This course is designed to train coaches, athletes and parents to be ready to respond during a cardiac emergency.
Brian Shankey thanked the Byrne Foundation for their generous support.
“We know that over 70% of cardiac arrests happen outside of a hospital setting and sadly only 1 and 10 survive,” said Brian Shankey, the Association’s Executive Director for Northern New England. “Hands Only CPR is an easy, effective way for any bystander, especially if they act immediately, to double or triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival. While these skills are so valuable in sports and school settings, they become even more valuable throughout the community and especially in our homes where over 70% of cardiac arrests take place. We wouldn’t have this opportunity of distributing these kits without the generous contribution of The Jack and Dorothy Byrne Foundation.”
The Association’s NH Development Director, Rosemary Hendrickx, was on hand with educational information.
The American Heart Association has set a goal of doubling the survival of cardiac arrest by 2030. We know that in order to save more lives from the 350,000 cardiac arrests that occur outside of the hospital every year, we must increase the number of people who respond to cardiac arrest by calling 911, delivering high-quality CPR and getting and using an AED as soon as it is available. 
Currently 90% of people who suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests die, in part because they do not receive CPR more than half of the time. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a person’s chance of survival. Join the Nation of Lifesavers and learn CPR. FMI: www.Heart.org/Nation.