The very nature of cardiac arrest requires bystanders to be ready, willing, and able to act. Additionally, to be successful their actions — in combination with care provided by our EMS, fire and first responder agencies — must occur within a system that coordinates and integrates each facet of care into a choreographed group effort, focusing on neurologically intact survival to discharge from the hospital.

The Citizen CPR Foundation believes that a community-based approach designed to prepare the lay public to provide bystander CPR and rapid defibrillation strategies offers the best opportunity for successful resuscitation in the initial minutes after cardiac arrest and essential for improving neurologically intact survival.

Community-wide interventions that will improve overall resuscitation quality and increase the likelihood of early bystander-initiated CPR and prompt defibrillation are critical aspects of any effort to reduce death and disability from cardiac arrest. The optimal strategy is one that is localized and actively engages a community at all levels.

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Visit HEARTSafe Community to access additional information including a self-assessment tool, recommendations and a constellation of other resources and guidance.