This week (June 1-7) is known as National CPR and AED Awareness Week, and we celebrate it because CPR and AED skills save lives, perhaps even our own or someone we love.
Did you know approximately 70% of cardiac arrests that occur outside of the hospital happen in private homes? If you are in a situation where someone requires CPR, you likely won’t be in a hospital with doctors and medical staff around to help you. Instead, you will probably be in your kitchen, backyard, at work, etc., performing CPR on someone you know; your coworker, your friend, or your loved one. This situation is what National CPR/AED Awareness Week is all about.
This observance was created by Congress when they passed a resolution to designate June 1-7 as an opportunity to highlight that many more lives can be saved if more Americans know CPR and how to use an AED. The objective is not merely awareness, but rather to create a culture in which people have the confidence to act when they witness a cardiac emergency because every second counts before help arrives.
At Danella, safety is more than checking a box; it is woven into the fabric of who we are. Crews are working across America on a daily basis in challenging utility construction situations, and we understand better than most that emergencies happen without warning. Responding properly when one does occur is not just a desirable skill to possess; it is paramount.
No matter how much time has passed since you last took a CPR course (or if you’ve never even been trained), this week should prompt you to review your CPR training. Certification requirements change, techniques evolve, and without regular practice, your confidence in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation will shrink. In a real emergency, the difference between knowing what to do and hesitating could be someone’s life. In addition to the certification opportunities here at Danella, the American Heart Association offers many educational resources to help you be as prepared as possible should something happen that requires you to perform CPR on another person. The American Heart Association has programs ranging from full certification programs to brief at-home study kits. Learn more at: https://cpr.heart.org/en/
Be there when someone needs you most. Be the difference.
– Morgan Peta, Marketing Intern