The American Heart Association has awarded more than $1.1 million in grants to community-serving organizations to implement Cardiac Emergency Response Plans (CERPs) at 185 sites in 30 states, a move that could significantly improve survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. With more than 350,000 cardiac arrests occurring outside hospitals each year in the United States, survival often hinges on immediate bystander action: recognizing the emergency, calling 911, starting CPR, and using an automated external defibrillator (AED). Yet many schools, community centers, and public facilities lack a coordinated plan for such moments. The grants provide CPR training kits, AED installation and maintenance, and on-site CPR training to support comprehensive Cardiac Emergency Response Plans (CERPs).
The initiative reflects a broader push by the Association's Nation of Lifesavers™ to shift the perception that CPR is solely a medical professional's skill to a shared human responsibility. By targeting youth-serving organizations, schools, recreational facilities, faith-based institutions, and other public-facing entities in areas of greatest need, the grants aim to create safer environments for approximately 400,000 people. Last year, the Association helped implement 794 CERPs, impacting over 1.6 million people. With these new grants, it is on track to implement more than 1,000 CERPs this year. Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association, emphasized the community-driven nature of the effort: "The real heroes of this work are the communities choosing to take action before an emergency happens. By working directly with communities we're hoping we can create a culture where training and preparation are the norm. Because the truth is when people prioritize CPR training and preparedness as a shared responsibility, more lives can be saved."
The grants also reinforce the Association's commitment to health equity by making lifesaving skills accessible to all. As a founding member of the NFL's Smart Heart Sports Coalition, the Association advocates for state policies requiring schools to adopt CERPs. This aligns with its long-term goal to ensure that anyone, anywhere, is prepared to perform CPR. For more information on CPR education, resources like Bystander CPR and the Bystander CPR Infographic are available. The Association also offers Hands-Only CPR Resources and a guide on Hands-Only CPR vs CPR with Breaths. Additionally, recognizing disparities in bystander intervention, especially for women, the Association provides information on Women and CPR and a toolkit to reduce disparities in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, available in English and Spanish. To learn CPR in 90 seconds, visit www.heart.org/HandsOnlyCPR. The original release is available on www.newmediawire.com.
