Harris Health staff in hospitals, health centers, administrative offices and the county jail trained 2,603 people in hands-only CPR as part of the American Heart Association’s World Restart a Heart Day on October 16th.
At the Harris County Jail alone, 1,533 detainees and staff were trained in the lifesaving technique.
Calling it an effort to turn bystanders ‘into a nation of lifesavers,’ Esmaeil Porsa, MD, president and CEO, Harris Health, and incoming president of the Houston chapter of the American Heart Association, commended the community for participating in hands-only CPR across Houston and Harris County. When a cardiac arrest victim is identified, the abbreviated hands-only procedure eliminates mouth-to-mouth breathing and only requires the bystander to call 9-1-1 for EMS and immediately initiate chest compressions at the rate of 100-120 per minute.
“Harris Health, in partnership with the American Heart Association, is starting a movement of turning a nation of bystanders into a nation of lifesavers,” Porsa told officials and the detainees at the county jail ahead of the training. “Our goal ultimately is to have at least one member of each household who feels comfortable and competent in performing bystander CPR to save a life.”
By administering the lifesaving technique, responders can increase the chances of survival for cardiac arrest victims through their medical emergency. Training for Restart a Heart took place in businesses, churches, schools and other organizations.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez says while most detainees are temporarily incarcerated, many will now return to their homes and neighborhoods with a valuable lifesaving skill. According to AHA, nine out of 10 people who suffer cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die because of a lack of intervention or assistance.
“It’s about saving lives, because the odds go up significantly if somebody can start CPR,” Gonzalez adds. “The vast majority of cardiac arrests do happen inside the home, it could be a neighbor, it could be a friend, it could be in the park and it could be at a grocery store. You know, it could be you that collapses, but the more people that know CPR could help you with lifesaving assistance.”
Harris Health trained the following:
- Harris County Jail – 1,533
- Harris Health Lyndon B. Johnson and Harris Health Ben Taub hospitals – 577
- Harris Health Administration – 307
- Ambulatory Care Services (clinics, health centers, specialty facilities) – 186
“The science is very clear and it shows that providing individuals suffering from cardiac arrest with hands-only CPR while you wait for 9-1-1 to arrive more than doubles their odds of survival,” Porsa adds.
AHA and partner organizations like Harris Health aim to educate, enhance CPR training accessibility, bolster bystander preparedness, and save and improve lives from cardiovascular disease, the number one killer in Houston.
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