(DALLAS) - Every year, more than 350,000 people in the U.S. suffer cardiac arrest outside of a hospital. Too often, help comes too late.
This American Heart Month, the American Heart Association is urging Hoosiers to rethink what it means to be a first responder. Through its Nation of Lifesavers initiative, the message is simple and powerful: you are the first responder until professional help arrives.
Nine out of 10 people who experience cardiac arrest outside a hospital don't survive, in part because CPR isn't started quickly enough. But immediate action by a bystander can double or even triple a person's chance of survival. The good news? You don't need medical training to make a difference.
Here are three ways you can take charge of your health--and your community--this Heart Month:
1. Learn CPR and join the Nation of Lifesavers
CPR is a skill anyone can learn, and it can save a life in just minutes. Indiana residents can take CPR classes online or in person, or even watch a 90-second video to learn Hands-Only CPR for adults. There are also resources for learning CPR with breaths for infants and children. Updated CPR guidelines were released this fall, reinforcing how critical bystander action is in an emergency.
2. Make a plan before an emergency happens
In a cardiac emergency, seconds matter. Having a plan in place can mean the difference between life and death. A Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP) lays out clear steps for responding to cardiac arrest in places like schools, workplaces, churches, and sports facilities. The goal: don't wait for help--be the help.
3. Wear red on National Wear Red Day, Friday, Feb. 6
One easy way to show support is by wearing red on National Wear Red Day. The day raises awareness about heart disease, the nation's leading cause of death. Participants are encouraged to share photos on social media using #WearRedDay and tag @AHAIndiana to help spread the message.
Cardiac arrest can happen anywhere--at the gym, the grocery store, or a child's soccer game. Yet bystanders step in less than half the time, often because they feel unsure or unprepared.
"In an emergency, bystanders don't need medical training to save a life," said Carl Dennin, a member of the American Heart Association's Indianapolis board of directors. "All you need is knowledge, courage, and the willingness to act."
Retired Indianapolis Fire Department paramedic Bob Cesnik agrees, noting that the first responder is often not someone in uniform. "It's a coworker, a friend, or a family member," he said. "Learning CPR is a civic duty. Being prepared can turn chaos into calm and give someone their best chance at survival."
The American Heart Association leads global efforts in CPR education and develops the official emergency cardiovascular care guidelines used in the U.S. and more than 90 countries worldwide.
To learn CPR, make a plan, and join the Nation of Lifesavers this American Heart Month, visit heart.org/nation.