A CPR Revolution

Last month I attended the Emergency Cardiovascular Care Update (ECCU) conference in Las Vegas, NV, presented by the Citizen CPR Foundation. This annual event sees the nation’s top resuscitation professionals and advocates come together to discuss the latest in clinical research and public education.

One of the most popular events during the conference is the Celebration of Survivors & Rescuers Dinner. During this special evening, the audience hears inspiring stories from those alive today thanks to citizen CPR,  access to AEDs and excellent prehospital care.

The survivors also attend educational classes during the conference and several introduced faculty members. It is incredibly valuable for survivors to hear about the time and research devoted to the science of cardiac resuscitation, as it inspires them all to be ambassadors for CPR.

We are currently in a CPR revolution with more and more people taking just minutes to learn a skill that can give the gift of life to another person. The chain of survival has never felt stronger. Until recently, the citizen had been the missing link, but that is no longer the case. First responders are also reinforcing their part of the chain too. High-quality CPR is an essential part of the drill, as the pit crew concept keeps hands on the chest. And there are now apps that tell you how you can assist in a cardiac arrest and where you can find a defibrillator. Who knows what the future holds with the pending release of the 2015 AHA guidelines for CPR and ECC? Exciting times, indeed!