“With more than 100 sessions across seven tracks, the program is the most robust in the 45-year history of the meeting,” said Ed Racht, MD, Program Chair. “Plus, there are facilitated roundtable discussions and an amazing demonstration involving a near-drowning and helicopter medevac,” Dr. Racht continued. “For the first time, we have a track dedicated specifically to sudden cardiac arrest in youth and athletes, featuring leading experts, led by Dr. Jonathan Drezner and Dr. Stuart Berger.”

The Summit attracts a wide range of resuscitation practitioners, advocates and training professionals, from both the prehospital and hospital fields. It also brings in survivors and advocates and features sessions especially for them.

Mary Newman to be Recognized at the Summit 

Mary Newman, longtime resuscitation advocate, will be given a Lifetime Achievement Award, jointly presented by the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation (SCAF) and the Citizen CPR Foundation (CCPRF). The presentation will be made at the Celebration of Survivors and Rescuers held at the conference on Thursday evening, Dec. 4. Newman is the founder of SCAF and will be retiring at the end of December.

“Mary’s vision and unwavering commitment have had a profound and lasting impact on the field of resuscitation,” said Joe Farrell, DPT, Chair of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation. “She has inspired countless professionals, survivors and advocates to work together to strengthen every link in the Chain of Survival.”

Years before founding SCAF, Mary worked with the late Jim Page, first at the ACT (Advanced Coronary Treatment) Foundation and then writing prolifically for the periodical he founded, the Journal of Emergency Medical Services (JEMS), on trends and best practices in resuscitation.

“Mary is a true treasure to our profession as a tireless advocate and communicator,” said Stu Berger, MD, President of the CCPRF. “Some 350,000 people die each year from sudden cardiac arrest. For more than four decades, she has supported our mission to save more lives.”

Embracing Other Time-Sensitive Emergencies 

This year’s Summit theme is “Seconds to Act — Empowering the Response to Cardiac Arrest and Life-Threatening Emergencies.” It expands the program to include other time-sensitive emergencies such as opioid overdoses, uncontrolled bleeding, drowning and other conditions that will lead to cardiac arrest and death unless there is swift intervention, often by a layperson.

New AHA Guidelines 

On Oct. 22, the American Heart Association (AHA) released new CPR and ECC Guidelines — the first in five years. The conference will be the initial major gathering after the release, and the AHA will be bringing dozens of the experts who researched and wrote the guidelines to the Summit. Through a variety of interactive workshops, general and concurrent sessions, they’ll explain what changed, what didn’t and why.

Helpful Organizations 

The Foundation recognizes the many sponsors who make the conference possible, especially our Signature Sponsor, ZOLL, and our Diamond Sponsor, the American Red Cross, which were especially helpful in planning and promoting the 2025 Summit.

The Foundation also wants to recognize the members of the Partner Council, who work to advance our life-saving mission through strategic collaborations, initiatives and outreach. The Partner Council includes the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, Defibtech, Laerdal Medical and ZOLL.