Stay up-to-date with platinum members of the Citizen CPR Foundation Partner Council. Interested in learning more about joining the Partner Council? Please email Mallory Cage.
Partner Council Spotlights: Defibtech, PRESTAN and WorldPoint
Category: Special Edition 2023
Celebrating Two New HEARTSafe Communities
We’re thrilled to announce that two new communities — Johnson County, Iowa, and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida — have achieved HEARTSafe Community designation.
Dianne Atkins, MD, Medical Director of Rotary-Kerber HEARTSafe Community Campaign (focused on increasing SCA survival rates in Iowa City and Coralville, Iowa), says she learned about the HEARTSafe initiative when attending the Cardiac Arrest Survival Summit.
“As we organized the Rotary-Kerber Campaign, we made becoming a HEARTSafe Community one of our goals,” she says. “[It] was exciting since I could see how far along our community already was.”
Ashley Terrana, District Captain, Palm Beach Gardens Fire Rescue, says the community’s commitment to a better quality of life prompted the pursuit of HEARTSafe designation.
“We are honored and proud to be able to identify ourselves as a HEARTSafe Community,” she says. “Our dedication to improving the lives of our citizens has always been our motivation to receive this prestigious designation.”
Read the full news releases for Johnson County and Palm Beach Gardens on our website. And please reach out to Citizen CPR Foundation any time if we can provide details about HEARTSafe Community criteria and support your work to secure designation.
In Memoriam: Leonard A. Cobb, MD
Thank you to the team at Resuscitation Academy for sharing this poignant remembrance that features a joint statement from the Seattle Fire Department and Harborview Medical Center.
We are sad to announce the passing of Dr. Leonard Cobb, a luminary in the field of cardiology. His achievements are many, but perhaps the most notable was helping establish in 1970 the Seattle Medic One paramedic program and, a year later, the creation of bystander CPR training for non-medical professionals. Both of these programs have earned worldwide acclaim and served as the inspiration for fire and emergency medical service departments to follow in Seattle’s footsteps.
The Seattle Medic One program’s goal is to provide emergency care comparable to what a patient would receive by a trained physician on site. In the late 1960s, Dr. Cobb took note of work being done in Europe with cardiac patients prior to arrival at a hospital that was increasing survival rates. He developed with then-Fire Chief Vickery, Harborview Medical Center and the University of Washington School of Medicine, a local program where specially trained firefighters were dispatched to provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) until the patient could be transported to the hospital for formal care.
Constantly seeking to improve patient care, Dr. Cobb focused on resuscitation from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. This focus led to the implementation of a tiered response system in 1970, training the public in CPR in 1971 and the deployment of AEDs for use by EMTs in 1984.
Appreciating the importance of quick action when cardiac arrest strikes, Dr. Cobb, Fire Chief Vickery and Seattle Rotary #4 launched Seattle Medic Two in 1971 to train community members in CPR. In a 2020 interview, Dr. Cobb said, “This was, perhaps, our most important contribution” to establishing Seattle as a leader in out-of-hospital resuscitation. To date, the Seattle Fire’s Medic Two program has trained more than 1 million people in CPR.
After handing off the medical direction of the Medic One program to Dr. Michael Copass in 1993, Dr. Cobb continued to be actively involved in clinical research and ensuring the ongoing excellence of patient care by the Medic One crews until well into his 90s.
In 2008, Dr. Cobb helped create the Resuscitation Academy. His teachings drew on 40 years of experience leading a high-functioning EMS program. His advice to attendees was timeless: The quality of patient care cannot be emphasized enough; there are no magic bullets. Stick to quality CPR and never stop measuring and improving your system.
As a result of Dr. Cobb’s contributions, Seattle’s EMS system is held up as one of the best in the world.
Dr. Cobb will undoubtedly remain in our memories, and his legacy will continue to live on through the thousands of lives his work continues to save each year. We will remain in his debt for his innovation, leadership and passion for saving lives.
American Heart Association, American Red Cross Bring CPR Training to NFL Cities
In the wake of Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin’s on-field resuscitation after experiencing sudden cardiac arrest in January, the American Heart Association and American Red Cross are among the founding members of a partnership with the NFL to bring lifesaving training and other resources to more cities.
The coordinated, strategic collaboration efforts from The Smart Heart Sports Coalition expands CPR and AED awareness, use and advocacy. This is the action that saves more lives. All of us at Citizen CPR Foundation are grateful to the teams at American Heart Association and American Red Cross for your ongoing support and leadership. Thank you!
The Smart Heart Sports Coalition launched in March and has since expanded to include 26 member organizations, including men’s and women’s professional sports organizations and leading medical and advocacy groups.
To help save more lives from SCA, the NFL, American Heart Association and American Red Cross are focused on sharing hands-only CPR education in NFL stadiums and other events. Grant funding in excess of $1 million, provided by the NFL, will support this training and also help expand AED access. Additionally, each of the 32 NFL clubs has access to grant funding to spur expanded training and equipment placement in their communities.
“The knowledge to effectively deliver CPR, have access to an AED, and have in place an emergency plan makes a difference in saving a life,” says Jeff Miller, NFL Executive Vice President of Communications, Public Affairs and Policy. “We want to help create communities that are empowered with the tools and skills to do just that.”
Let’s Continue to Build SCA Awareness, CPR Preparedness, Inspired by Damar Hamlin
The leadership team of the Citizen CPR Foundation is so very thankful for the outcome associated with the sudden cardiac arrest of Damar Hamlin during a nationally televised NFL game on January 2, 2023. It has been estimated that 25 million people witnessed the event — or at least the immediate aftermath of the event. CPR and AED use on the football field in the context of a rehearsed emergency action plan is not only amazing; it is also a true example of success and something from which we can all learn.
Damar and the NFL are advocates for emergency action plans, CPR training and AEDs for high school athletes of all sports. In addition, the NFL has engaged in a partnership with the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross to accomplish these goals. Read more about the partnership in this issue of Currents.
Finally, please let us know how we can help you and your community also become a HEARTSafe Community. We are committed to providing the necessary tools for communities, including schools. Sudden cardiac arrest awareness, CPR and AED education for everyone, and the development of emergency action plans are of critical importance. We know that this strategy will save lives.
For more information or to get support, please contact us or visit our website. You’ll also read more details about our two newest HEARTSafe communities in this issue.
Photo via Damar Hamlin | X
Come to the Cardiac Arrest Survival Summit and Challenge the Status Quo!
Exemplary Program Marks the Citizen CPR Foundation Conference’s Return to San Diego, Nov. 29–Dec. 2
“We’ve seen examples from communities worldwide where SCA save rates exceed 50%. Yet national averages have hardly budged beyond 10%. Please take this challenge: come to San Diego and help us discover together how we can create transformative change so more lives can be saved.”
—Ed Racht, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Global Medical Response, Program Chair, CASSummit ‘23
The award-winning Town and Country Hotel, located in the heart of San Diego, will again host the Cardiac Arrest Survival Summit, Nov. 29–Dec. 2. With more than 200 speakers joining us from more than a dozen countries, the conference is unique in addressing all of the links in the chain of survival.
A variety of preconference workshops allow participants to get in-depth knowledge from the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, Citizen CPR Foundation and others, providing blueprints for successful initiatives and strategies for overcoming stubborn challenges.
Five distinct tracks will focus on the prehospital side of resuscitation, as well as in the hospital. Eleven general sessions will feature some of the most lauded speakers in the world as they address trends in resuscitation. Through case studies, original research and facilitated discussion, these expert speakers will inspire and educate.
Opening Keynote Features NFL Initiative
The opening keynote features Jeff Miller, the NFL’s Executive Vice President of Communications, Public Affairs and Policy, a role that includes overseeing the league’s player Health and Safety Programs. Joining him is Jonathan Drezner, MD, Editor-in-Chief of the British Journal of Sports Medicine and Director of the University of Washington Medicine Center for Sports Cardiology. Dr. Drezner is also the team physician for the Seattle Seahawks and has partnered with the NFL with an educational initiative around the recognition and management of SCA in athletes.
Together they explore the teachable moment that occurred on January 2, when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin survived sudden cardiac arrest, caught live on Monday Night Football in front of millions. Damar and the NFL are advocates for emergency action plans, CPR training and AEDs for athletes of all sports at every level.
Other general sessions include the American Heart Association ILCOR’s 10 Steps to Improve In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest, the American Red Cross’s Use of Social Media to Engage and Educate, and how the National Expansion of Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES) Addresses Disparities in Outcomes. The winner of the prestigious Hans Dahll Award of Excellence will also be announced. Traditionally, his or her presentation is one of the highlights of the conference.
From Code Blue to Comic Relief: Dr. and Lady Glaucomflecken’s Story of CPR, Survivorship, and Humor
We’ve all listened to survivor stories that inspired us and maybe even brought a few tears. But how about breaking out into laughter? Dr. Will Flanary is an ophthalmologist who uses his eye for humor in his side gig as an internet comedian. Kristin Flanary works in marketing and communications and is a nationally recognized advocate for CPR and survivorship. Together, the husband-and-wife duo creates popular medical skits on Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube under the stage names Dr. and Lady Glaucomflecken and cohost the medical comedy podcast “Knock Knock, Hi! With the Glaucomfleckens.”
On May 11, 2020, their lives would change forever. That night, Kristin woke up to Will making unusual sounds in his sleep. It was different from snoring, she recalled, and she couldn’t wake him. She called 9-1-1, and the dispatcher recognized that Will was in sudden cardiac arrest. The dispatcher calmly guided Kristin through 10 minutes of CPR until a paramedic crew arrived. With COVID still raging, the responders were in full PPE. They continued CPR and shocked Will five times. Following transport, Flanary was admitted to the ICU. After one day of sedation, he awoke with full cognitive function and no clue what had happened.
Since his recovery, Will has used his unique brand of humor as a coping mechanism, and he and Kristin have become popular on the medical speaking circuit. Kristin received an EMS Cardiac Arrest Save Challenge Coin (2020), the Citizen CPR Foundation’s 40 Under 40 award (2021), and the American Heart Association’s Resuscitation Champion Award (2022). At CASSummit ‘23 in San Diego, hear Will and Kristin (and Dr. and Lady Glaucomflecken) tell their remarkable story with passion, grace, appreciation—and laughter.
A Familiar Face Returns to Close CASSummit 2023
In his closing keynote, Program Chair Dr. Ed Racht will examine a variety of initiatives that seek to engage bystanders to help their fellow citizens, including “Stop the Bleed” and opioid overdose interventions, as well as HeartSafe Communities. He will finish with a just-in-time presentation on the critical lessons learned from this year’s conference. The inimitable Dr. Racht is one of the most entertaining and thoughtful presenters in the field.
“This year’s program is an outstanding blend of topics that will make us stop and think,” said Stu Berger, MD, President of CCPRF. “We have a strong and diverse faculty that will encourage us to improve—and to challenge the status quo.”
