Every hour throughout the nation, roughly 38 people will have a cardiac arrest event outside of a hospital, according to the American Heart Association. Nine out of 10 people don’t survive.
However, if CPR is performed, the chance of survival could double or triple. That’s why the Roeland Park Police Department is teaming up with H&R Block and the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign to do a CPR Community Blitz.
Roeland Park police officers stopped several people Wednesday morning, but it wasn’t because of speeding.
"Today's the first national Go Red for Women Day, and we're handing out free anytime CPR kits,” Sgt. Randy Costlow said to a resident. “20 minutes, teach you how to do CPR. You can save a life of someone you love or another person.”
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The Department teamed up with H&R Block and the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign to do a CPR Blitz.
"Bringing out these CPR anytime kits to the community is huge for us because part of our mission is to empower everybody to save lives,” American Heart Association Communications Coordinator, Dawn Noland said. “70 percent of cardiac events happened within the home, so people need to learn CPR to save lives."
The infant and family anytime CPR kits contain an instructional DVD and a blow up doll for people to learn how to save a life in case an incident does occur.
"We want to help the community and a lot of times, helping the community means helping them to help themselves at the same time,” Sgt. Costlow said. “If we can get everybody trained on CPR and AED and First Aid, I think we would be able to help others to save a lot of lives."
Both Nerissa Cupini and Rachel Mahlik were two of the 30 people who received the kits.
"I think it's great that the police are out there giving the public the tools to save lives,” Mahlik said. “And really giving them those leadership skills that it starts with the people in keeping the community safe."
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"This is great,” Cupini said. “I mean for any parent, I mean anybody, babysitters, there's tons of people that would love to have this."
Leah Jansen, who runs a daycare in Roeland Park, says it’s something that’s very beneficial for her and her coworkers.
“It's huge for us, all of our staff has to go get CPR certified,” Jansen said. “To be able to brush up on it on any point and time and having it, it'll be huge! I'm really excited.”
This is the first Go Red for Women CPR Community Blitz in the nation.
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Rae Daniel can be reached at Rae.Daniel@KSHB.com.
