To raise awareness among its associates about the importance of CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), Independence Blue Cross hosted a free Hands-only CPR training session in the courtyard of its offices at 1901 Market Street. Using practice manikins, the simple Hands-Only training from the American Heart Association took only minutes to complete. Hands-Only CPR can double or even triple a person’s chance of survival from cardiac arrest.
The training event also celebrated the recent passage of Pennsylvania Senate Bill 115, which will establish a model curriculum in high schools for CPR instruction. The new law will also ensure all schools are teaching the Hands-Only CPR technique, and affords schools flexibility in how their students are taught.
Every year, more than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur in the United States outside of a hospital. More than 20 percent occur in public places, where the survival rate is less than 10 percent. Hands-Only CPR helps bystanders understand how they can immediately help a person who experiences a cardiac emergency.
Associates also learned about the Philadelphia Heart Walk, which will be held on November 2 at Citizens Bank Bark. Independence is a corporate sponsor for the Walk, which is part of a nationwide effort to raise awareness and funds to help the American Heart Association build healthier lives free of heart disease and stroke.
Media contact:
Ruth Stoolman
215-241-4870
ruth.stoolman@ibx.com