American Heart Association works with local churches to implement Cardiac Emergency Response Plans

American Heart Association works with local churches to implement Cardiac Emergency Response Plans

Good Shepherd joins two Maywood churches in training

Every year, 436,000 Americans die from cardiac arrest. The first 10 minutes after a cardiac arrest are key. Performing CPR can double or triple an individual’s chances of survival, yet only 40% of individuals who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital receive the help they need.

This year, the American Heart Association (AHA) of Chicago received a grant from the Westlake Health Foundation to implement its Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP) in the Proviso Township area. The association is working directly with three local faith-based organizations: the Second Baptist Church in Maywood, the Quinn Center of St. Eulalia, and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Oak Park.

Seventy percent of cardiac arrests occur outside of the hospital. Ninety percent of these emergencies become fatal. In these cases, bystander CPR is crucial for survival.

“That’s why it’s so critical for those in our families, those in our communities, to know what to do,” said Jocelyn Vega, director of community impact at the American Heart Association. “I personally think everyone should be able to survive a cardiac arrest. The power is in our hands with CPR.”

The CERP goes beyond basic CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training and allows a community to develop a specific, detailed, and unique emergency response plan of action in the case of cardiac arrest. According to the American Heart Association, a CERP can increase sudden cardiac arrest survival rates by 50% or more.

Vega works to build partnerships with communities, create a team and an emergency response plan, and run drills to prepare organizations for potential emergencies. “We’re having these really big, what is usually a very emotional situation, broken down as a team very proactively,” said Vega.

Similar to a fire drill or active shooter plan, CERPs take an organizational approach to cardiac arrest. “As organizations, as places of faith, we have the power, we have the people, and we can take this opportunity of taking a stance and really educating our community in this skill,” said Vega.

Vega works with organizations to ensure that the community is fully prepared not only to effectively respond to cardiac emergencies, but also to process and heal after potential trauma. Community members consider different scenarios and create specific emergency response plans. As cardiac arrest becomes fatal in just 10 minutes, it is critical to have an emergency plan in place. “We don’t want to wait to experience the loss of someone dying at our center or at our church to be like, ‘Oh wow, these are things we should have done,’” she said.

The process of creating a CERP can de-stigmatize the loss and panic of cardiac arrest and empower community members to take clear and confident action in emergencies. Vega also hopes to proactively build resilience in communities ahead of potential trauma.

For communities that have already experienced a loss to cardiac arrest, the process can be healing. Last winter, the Second Baptist Church lost a community member to cardiac arrest. Vega said she was concerned that it was too soon to implement the training at the organization.

“Actually, more and more people are inviting other friends and other neighbors to join because they’re like, ‘We know what’s on the other side of not knowing what to do, and we don’t want more people to be on that side. And let’s come together,’” said Vega. She said it was “really exciting” to work with this community and be part of their healing process.

The American Heart Association’s work will impact a range of communities and ages. In partnering with the Quinn Center, which works with low-income populations and families, the organization’s work will have a wide reach in the community.

“People do not have to die from this if we take that immediate action of CPR and AED administration,” said Vega.

If you witness somebody go into cardiac arrest, call 9-1-1 and begin giving chest compressions. You do not have to be certified to give CPR. Administer an AED if it is available. Learn more by visiting the American Heart Association website or by attending a training.

The American Heart Association of Chicago hopes to work with more organizations to create Cardiac Emergency Response Plans. If you are interested in working with Vega, email her at Jocelyn.Vega@heart.org.