Heart Safe City
The Department of Health Services Bureau of EMS and Trauma System’s Save Heart’s in Arizona Registry and Education (Share) Program is proud to recognize Sun City West as a designated “HEART Safe” City.
Arizona Fire & Medical Authority personnel initiated a community-wide chest compression only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training program including having AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) throughout the community several years ago working toward the goal of having cardiac arrest preparedness in Sun City West. With the Authority’s leadership and through partnerships with businesses, faith organizations, the Recreation Centers, the Sheriff’s Posse, the Foundation, and Property Owners & Residents Association (PORA), the community has in place an action plan for responding to a cardiac arrest with 61 AEDs in public places in Sun City West, making the community a safer place to live, work, visit, and worship. The Arizona Fire & Medical Authority will now be working with Sun Lakes and other Authority communities to expand the HEART Safe City designation to cover all areas within AFMA's response jurisdiction.
Early CPR and use of an AED can more than double a victim’s chance of surviving a cardiac arrest. The North County Fire & Medical District provides three levels of CPR (CCOCPR, traditional CPR, & BLS), which are offered on a monthly basis and all include training on how to use an AED. The training helps community members be prepared if someone collapses and is unresponsive by strengthening the “chain of survival,” which includes bystander(s) quickly helping by calling 911, performing CPR with effective chest compressions, and rapid defibrillation when an AED is available. This, coupled with advanced life support provided by emergency medical services and fire departments, as well as integrated post-cardiac arrest care increases the likelihood of long-term survival.
For more information or to sign up for a class, please call the Authority at (623) 544-5400.