La Porte County Health Department and La Porte County EMS support second of four summer CPR and AED community training sessions

Creek Ridge County Park welcomed dozens of faces to not only enjoy the sunshine, but also learn about saving lives. On Friday, June 12, La Porte County Emergency Medical Services (EMS), La Porte County Parks Department, the HEARTSafe Initiative, and the La Porte County Health Department hosted a CPR and AED (automated external defibrillator) certification class with members of the community.

Brian Beach, assistant director for La Porte County EMS, believes this event prepares local residents on how to respond in the spur of the moment if they come across a situation that requires an AED.

“We’re here to teach people the basic skills they can perform before someone else gets there on the scene,” Beach said. “For early defibrillation, it’s a proven fact that it truly saves lives. The actual compression of the CPR is going to help save organs and vitals, but the AEDs will change the dysrhythmia of the heart.”

The supply of AEDs throughout La Porte County has continued to increase, and, as a result, it increases the opportunities for La Porte County EMS to benefit the community as a whole. Beach attributes most of these opportunities to Health Foundation of La Porte.

“Grants are being put out through Health Foundation of La Porte towards the funding of the AEDs. It’s going to continue to impact the community by having them more readily available in all spaces,” Beach said.

Alisha Bishop, HEARTSafe Coordinator, notes how the HEARTSafe Initiative in the LaPorte County Health Department is one of the community organizations to educate the LaPorte community on these safety practices.

“The HEARTSafe Initiative is a community-based program dedicated to reducing deaths from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) by improving both the speed and quality of emergency response,” Bishop said. “It is meaningful for our organizations to work together to raise awareness about sudden cardiac arrest and the importance of learning CPR and how to use an AED. Through partnerships in the community, the initiative works to offer training in CPR and with the AEDs.”

Several attendees were able to work directly with the AEDs and CPR training through various exercises during the class. Victoria Myhand, who works in the guidance department for Michigan City Area Schools, is looking forward to taking the knowledge she learned from the course and being able to apply it when necessary in the schools.

“I wanted to get certified with CPR, and with this being a free event, I thought it would be a great idea to do so here,” Myhand said. “I’ve got some young nieces and nephews, along with some older family members. I’ve watched training videos before, but this is my first time I’ve physically used and seen an AED. They’re incredibly user-friendly, and the more AEDs there are, the easier it is to figure out what to do if there’s one nearby.”

The Health Foundation of La Porte, HEARTSafe Initiative, the La Porte County Health Department, La Porte County EMS, and the La Porte County Parks Department are partnering this summer to offer free community CPR certification classes through the “Enjoy the Park & Help Your Heart” program. This class was the second of four, with the upcoming two classes taking place on June 26 at Luhr Park and July 24 at Bluhm Park. Both classes will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“The program is designed to teach community members lifesaving CPR skills while promoting health and wellness in local parks,” Bishop said. “There are currently more than 600 AEDs located throughout LaPorte County, and knowing how to use one can make the difference between life and death for someone experiencing sudden cardiac arrest.”

For more information on the HEARTSafe Initiative in La Porte County, you can visit heartsafelpc.org.