'Hands Only' CPR Technique To Be Demonstrated To Supervisors Next Week

Valentine's Day is all about the heart, and this Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors and the general public will get a lesson in 'hands only' CPR at 9:30 a.m. in the Board Chambers, 651 Pine Street.

The emergency medical staff of the Contra Costa Health Services Department, along with HeartSafe Community Partners, will be on hand to demonstrate the technique to the public, and to pass out materials. The supervisors are expected to designate the month of February as Heart Month.

The campaign urges people to Act in Time when they witness a heart emergency, such as heart attack, stroke or sudden cardiac arrest.

“We want people to recognize the signs of these emergencies and know what to do,” said EMS Prehospital Care Coordinator Pam Dodson, who runs the HeartSafe Community campaign in Contra Costa. “The simple act of carrying a wallet card or hanging a poster can help increase survival when minutes can mean life or death.”

Heart disease remains one of the top killers in Contra Costa, according to EMS Medical Director Dr. Joseph Barger. He said cardiovascular events can rapidly
destroy heart muscle or brain tissue, with lasting consequences.

The HeartSafe Community campaign, which launched in 2009, recognizes communities that meet criteria to improve cardiovascular health and decrease death and disability associated with heart disease. So far in Contra Costa, El Cerrito and San Ramon Valley communities have earned the designation. EMS Director Patricia Frost said the HeartSafe Community campaign makes cities “a safer place to live, work and play.”

To find out more about the HeartSafe Community campaign or to download materials, visit www.cchealth.org/ems/heartsafe.php