Onalaska earns HEARTSafe community designation for cardiac arrest preparedness

Onalaska has been recognized as a HEARTSafe Community for its dedication to improving survival rates from cardiac arrest.

The Onalaska Fire Department responded to 35 cardiac arrest incidents so far this year, underscoring the city’s commitment to lifesaving readiness.

The Citizen CPR Foundation awarded the national HEARTSafe designation after Onalaska met all 13 required priorities, which focus on community partnerships, education, and preparedness. 

These priorities include public CPR education, strategically placed AEDs, and recognizing rescuers and survivors of cardiac arrest.

Over the past two years, the city trained 3,000 residents in CPR, installed four outdoor Automated External Defibrillator (AED) boxes in high-traffic areas, and worked with local school districts to strengthen their emergency response plans.

“We are very community-strong in this region, and having the ability to give the upper hand to anybody in our community experiencing cardiac arrest is a win for everybody,” said Jeremy Southworth, Assistant Fire Chief at the Onalaska Fire Department.

Southworth says that even with the new designation, Onalaska will continue expanding CPR training and improving public access to AEDs. He adds that the long-term goal is for the entire Coulee Region to become HEARTSafe.