Community Heart Watch:

Committing to Local and Regional

Heart Safety and Awareness Since 2012
Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA)
 Irregular heart rhythm or heart stoppage that results in a lack
of blood flow to the brain and other organs – the victim
collapses and is at high risk of death
 Strikes people of all ages, including those without known
heart disease – even young and healthy athletes
 Impacts 350,000 Americans – 1,000 per day
 Requires CPR to get the blood pumping and defibrillation
(shock) to restart the heart
 Community engagement and response directly impacts SCA
survival
Every Second Counts
 SCA results in death in minutes if care is not provided quickly
 Every minute defibrillation is delayed = 10% decrease in survival
 Nationally, 90% of victims do not survive
 3 important interventions
1) Call 911
2) Bystander CPR
3) Defibrillation via AED
SCA: Bystanders and AEDs Save Lives

Survival Rates

50%
30%
10%

National With Bystander With Bystander

Average CPR CPR & AED
Alleviating Bystander Fears
 Only 32% of SCA victims receive bystander CPR
 Less than 12% have an AED applied

FEAR FACT
I’m not sure it is an emergency. If victim is not responding and not
breathing – it is an emergency.
I’m afraid CPR will hurt the victim – Bystander intervention while waiting
it is better to wait for professionals. for EMS saves lives – you can’t get
deader, might get better.
I might get a disease doing mouth- Hands-only CPR can be just as
to-mouth. effective as conventional CPR.
I’m afraid the AED shock will hurt AEDs are safe – they do not shock a
the victim. victim if it is not necessary.
I might get sued. Good Samaritan laws protect
bystanders.
Unique Challenges in Southeastern Ohio
 Resource limitations, including:
 Equipment – lack of available AEDs in rural areas
 Training – relatively low rates of CPR-trained individuals
 Personnel – EMS and volunteer fire departments
responsible for large, less accessible geographic areas

 Rural and remote geography, potentially leading to:

 Delays in EMS arrival
 Disrupted communication
 Low population density, decreasing chance of bystander
intervention
CARES Survival Rates when Resuscitation Attempted
EMS: Athens, Bremen/Rushville, Lancaster, Millersport with Transport to FMC

2019 2020

36%
29%
18% 19%

To Admit To Discharge

Survival is closer to national average of 10%

when including patients who die before EMS arrives
Snider Community Heart Watch

Named after Dr. Gordon B. Snider, a cardiologist who brought the first intensive care unit to FMC

Formed in 2012 following two SCA events:

Misty Morrison – age 27, SCA on Aug. 15, 2011
Claire Birkholz – age 9, SCA on Sept. 16, 2011
Objectives
 Improve community (regional business, school and health
care agencies) awareness of cardiac emergencies
 Identify unique solutions to regional challenges in
effective response to cardiac emergencies including SCA
 Providing CPR training and certification to local schools,
businesses, health care providers and citizens
 Improving access to AEDs – lifesaving devices in SCA
 Celebrating heart saving efforts with “Great Save Awards”
Accomplishments

 Placed 300+ AEDs in the community

 Trained 10,000+ people in CPR and HOPE
 Accredited 50 schools as Heart Safe
 Accredited 11 business sites as Heart Safe
 Creating a regional AED map to better coordinate
resuscitation for cardiac arrest
Community Engagement and Impact
Current Membership
 FMC physicians, nurses and leaders
 Fire/EMS: Lancaster, Greenfield Township, Hocking County,
Hocking Township, Millersport, Walnut Township/Thurston,
Violet Township, Pleasant Township, Bremen/Rushcreek,
Thornville, Basil/Baltimore
 Schools: Lancaster Public
 Business: Fairfield Federal Savings & Loan
Community Heart Watch: Initiatives
1) CPR training in the community
2) Heart Safe Business Accreditation
3) Heart Safe School Accreditation
4) Regional AED mapping and access
 Identify regions of AED shortages
 Place AEDs in areas of need
 Reduce time to defibrillation by coordinating emergency
response and AED location
Heart Safe Business Accreditation
 3 year accreditation criteria:
 AED(s) on site
 50-75% of staff trained in CPR and AED use
 Quarterly emergency drills
 Annual SCA awareness event
 Accreditation is free (may be costs for AED and CPR training)
 Accredited businesses:
 Fairfield Federal – 3  Stebelton Snider Law
 Fairfield National Bank – 5  Fairfield County Utilities
 Center of Disabilities  Fairfield County JFS
Heart Safe Business Accreditation Toolkit
Contains all the forms and info needed
Heart Safe School Accreditation

 3 year accreditation: same criteria as businesses

 Accredited 25 schools in our market and 25 outside market
 Accreditation assumed by Sudden Arrhythmia Death
Syndromes (SADS) Foundation 2016 – 2019
 Community Heart Watch assumed responsibility for HSSA
for local market only in 2021
Regional AED mapping with PulsePoint
 When a cardiac emergency strikes, quickly finding an AED
can save a life!
 That’s where PulsePoint comes in – a free app that shares
AED locations with bystanders
 It also allows users to enter AEDs into the system – just
snap a picture and note the location
 Sends alerts to AED owners when batteries and pads are
about to expire
PulsePoint on Your Phone

 Shows nearest AEDs on

interactive map
 Provides a description of where the
AED is located in the building
 Shows a photo of AED in context
 Shows the facility’s hours of
operation
What Can You Do?
Be Informed, Be Aware & Be Ready
 Get trained in CPR
 Offer CPR training for your staff
 Get an AED for your business
 Hold an SCA awareness activity in your business
 Download the PulsePoint app, enter your AEDs and add
PulsePoint materials to your website
 Accredit your business as Heart Safe
 Join Community Heart Watch (meet monthly for 1 hour)
Questions?