CPR Anytime Public Education Program

About the Program

Category: Civic Education and Public Information (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

CPR Anytime (CPRA) was developed by the American Heart Association (AHA) to encourage individuals to learn the basic skills of CPR. CPRA teaches the core skills of CPR using a revolutionary practice-while-watching instruction method. As part of its Strategic Plan Goal 11, “Prepare and Engage our Citizens,” the Los Angeles County Fire Department, in collaboration with the AHA and Los Angeles County Department of Health Services EMS Agency, launched a Community Outreach Plan for CPRA as part of a countywide citizen involvement program designed to improve survivability for victims of sudden cardiac arrest, a leading cause of death in Los Angeles County. This Community Outreach Plan called to action our emergency responders, field assistant fire chiefs, community service liaisons and Employee Services Section staff to work together and partner with educators and community leaders to train as many high school students as possible across the County in the basic principles of Hands-Only CPR. The Department and AHA have expanded CPRA to the nationwide Sidewalk CPR Day event, as well as all Los Angeles County employees. Once trained in CPR, students, residents, and County employees are invited to sign up for PulsePoint, a free mobile application (app) that alerts CPR-trained bystanders in public places when someone nearby has a sudden cardiac arrest and may need CPR.