Salcha Community Partnership Program

Why?

Sudden cardiac arrest, or when a person’s heart suddenly stops beating, continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States, claiming the lives of more than 300,000 people each year. When the heart stops, a person’s chance for survival decreases 7-10% for each minute without CPR. Without quick bystander intervention, the survival rate from cardiac arrest is only 5-10%.

To improve the odds of survival, Salcha Fire and Rescue sponsors a partnership program with Salcha businesses to increase the number of first responders trained in Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Prompt CPR and using an AED can keep a patient alive until they can receive advanced cardiac care.

What's Involved?

The program places AEDs and trained employees at key public gathering locations throughout Salcha, thereby improving the odds that a trained first responder is nearby to quickly intervene. With cardiac arrest, simply calling 911 and waiting for the ambulance crew to arrive is not a good plan. It is absolutely critical to a patient’s survival that bystanders and first responders on the scene intervene with CPR until we can arrive.

Current Salcha Community Partners

• Midway Lodge
• Salcha Elementary School
• Salchaket Roadhouse

If your Salcha business or community organization would like to participate, call or e-mail Salcha Fire and Rescue. For contact information, click here.

CPR and AED Training

In January, 2010, owners and employees of the Salchaket Roadhouse and the Midway Lodge participated in CPR and AED training led by EMT-3 Donna Price and five other volunteer EMTs from SFR. Thank you Donna, Dennis Price, Rob and Val Weathers, and Jim and Deb Skotnicki.

CPR and AED Training

	Donna Price, a highly experienced EMT and certified instructor, leads the class and explains the functions of the AED and how it helps a patient. Safety is a key concern, considering the AED delivers a powerful electrical shock.
	This is a hands-on course. Students practice on CPR training mannequins as SFR's volunteer EMTs watch and help them learn the proper technique.
	Proper CPR requires 100 chest compressions per minute. The students soon realized that 2 minutes of CPR, by yourself, is a lot of work! Donna played some of her retro "disco music," Stayin' Alive by the Bee Gees, to help learn timing.
	Hey, buddy, are you OK? The first step is to ensure your patient is unresponsive and not breathing. Then call 911 before you begin CPR. Here Denise practices techniques to stimulate her patient and check for breathing.
	Teamwork is the way to go. One person doing chest compressions, one doing breaths, and one working the AED. Then rotate to ensure that the person doing the most physically demanding part, compressions, gets a chance to rest.
	A three person rescue team is ideal. Although not always possible, a team can help each other, ensure correct compression rate, and encourage the group to continue until advanced medical care arrives to take over.
	It was an excellent opportunity to learn and practice new life-saving skills. We can rest assured that when the situation calls, these volunteers will be ready to answer.