Richmond Ambulance Authority and American Heart Association to Host Pop-up CPR and AED Demonstrations Across Richmond

The Richmond Ambulance Authority (RAA), in partnership with the American Heart Association, will be holding pop-up Hands-Only CPR and AED demonstrations across the City of Richmond during National CPR and AED Awareness Week, June 1^st – 7^th.  The demonstrations are part of an effort to raise awareness about the importance of knowing how to perform and use these lifesaving skills and equipment in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest.

The pop-up demonstrations will occur at unannounced times and locations throughout the City to illustrate how a sudden cardiac arrest can happen anywhere at any time. Knowing Hands-Only CPR and how to use an AED can double or triple a person’s chance of survival. More than 350,000 cardiac arrests happen outside of a hospital each year. Unfortunately, only about 46% of people who experience a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital get the immediate help they need from a bystander before professional help arrives. These skills are especially important as more employees return to the office. There are about 10,000 cardiac arrests in the workplace in the U.S. each year and only 50% of people can locate an AED at their job. So far this year, RAA has responded to more than 300 sudden cardiac arrests.

In addition to learning Hands-Only CPR and how to use an AED, people can download the free PulsePoint app which notifies residents and off duty professionals who are trained in CPR about nearby cardiac arrests. The app also points out the location of the closest AEDs so individuals can assist in the event of an emergency. You can learn more about the PulsePoint app at pulsepoint.org.

About the Richmond Ambulance Authority: In 1991, the Richmond City Council and the City Manager implemented an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system that placed the patient first and guaranteed its performance to the City’s residents. Today, the Richmond Ambulance Authority responds to nearly 200 calls per day and transports, on average, 150 patients per day. RAA is one of only 32 EMS agencies in the United States accredited by both the Commission on the Accreditation of Ambulance Services and the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch. RAA is also a Commonwealth of Virginia Accredited Dispatch Center. RAA’s staff has consistently received local, state, and national recognition for their work in EMS. In 2020 RAA staff members were recognized by the Old Dominion EMS Alliance (ODEMSA) in four categories at the ODEMSA Regional Awards.