Press Release, Health Foundation of La Porte:
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a life-threatening emergency that occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating. SCA strikes people of all ages who may seem to be healthy, even children and teens. According to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, SCA is the third leading cause of death in the U.S., affecting more than 350,000 people each year—with only 1 in every 10 victims surviving. October is SCA Awareness Month, and Health Foundation of La Porte (HFL) has partnered with several local organizations to spread awareness about SCA and the life-saving measures in place in our county. Read on to learn more.
Do You Know How to Save Lives During Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA)?
When SCA happens, the person collapses and doesn’t respond or breathe normally. They may gasp or shake as if having a seizure. SCA leads to death in minutes if the person does not get help right away. The survival rate for out-of-hospital SCA is only 10%, but if bystanders provide CPR immediately the survival rate can double or triple. Adding the use of an AED increases the survival rate to 50%. Survival depends on people nearby calling 911, starting CPR, and using an AED (if available) as soon as possible. Remember: CALL – PUSH – SHOCK.
CALL
As soon as someone collapses, call 911. The dispatcher will ask questions, provide assistance, and send first responders to the scene. Place the call on speaker so your hands are free.
PUSH
Provide hands-only CPR. According to the American Heart Association, hands-only CPR has been shown to be as effective in the first few minutes as conventional CPR for cardiac arrest at home, at work, or in public.
  1. Position yourself: Kneel next to the person and make sure they’re on their back on a firm, flat surface.
  2. Position your hands: Place the heel of one hand in the center of the person’s chest and put your other hand on top. Interlace your fingers but keep them off the chest.
  3. Push hard and fast: Using your body weight, push down on the person’s chest at least 2 inches at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute. The dispatcher can help with rhythm, or you can think of the song “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees for a comparable beat.
  4. Allow the chest to rise: After each compression, let the person’s chest return to its normal position.
  5. Continue: Continue chest compressions until you see signs of life, an emergency medical professional arrives, or you’re too exhausted and someone else can take over for you.
SHOCK
Use an AED (automated external defibrillator). Follow the step-by-step audio and visual directions and remember that an AED cannot hurt a person, only help. The AED scans the person’s heart for a shockable rhythm and will not deliver unnecessary shocks. Listen to the AED for instructions and continue hands-only CPR if advised.
Note: Bystanders who act in good faith are protected under Indiana’s Good Samaritan law, which protects people who assist others in medical emergencies or at the scene of an accident from civil liability.
Learn More Thanks to SCA Scenario Videos
To localize SCA awareness and the importance of bystander interaction, HFL produced three SCA scenario videos that will premiere this month. Special thanks go to Julie West, founder of Play for Jake Foundation, Tonya Aerts, NPUSC HOSA Advisor, and Hannah Stombaugh, former Miss Indiana and sudden cardiac arrest awareness advocate, for collaborating with HFL and inspiring the creation of three SCA scenario videos. Additional gratitude goes to Katy Gartland, RN, MPH, for writing the scripts and directing each scenario.
In each video, volunteers from the La Porte Little Theatre Club enact an SCA scenario and emphasize the importance of taking action. The City of La Porte Fire Department also contributed an AED trainer and CPR manikin for the videos, as well as first responder cameos by two of the department’s firefighters.
Please visit HFL’s Facebook page at facebook.com/hflaporte to view the SCA Scenario videos as they’re released and to access additional SCA information and resources.
Sign up for Free CPR Training
City of La Porte Fire Department offers free CPR/AED training throughout the year. To learn more, visit cityoflaporte.com/departments/fire/cpr-classes, email lpfdcpr@gmail.com, or call 219.362.3456.
Michigan City Fire Department will be providing free CPR training thanks to a grant provided by HFL in 2024 Cycle 2. To learn more about scheduling, contact Tia Free at tfree@emichigancity.com or 219.776.1330.
Long Beach Volunteer Fire Department also received a 2024 Cycle 2 grant for CPR manikins and training support. To learn more about scheduling, contact Alex Pollock at longbeachFD46360@gmail.com  or 219.861.3893.
Save Lives by Registering Your AED – and Enter to Win $100!
This month is the perfect time to make sure your AED is up to date on the La Porte County AED registry. PulsePoint AED is a free app that builds and maintains an emergency AED registry. Registered AEDs are accessible to emergency call takers and disclosed to those nearby during cardiac arrest emergencies. Having a complete La Porte County AED registry will increase response times and save lives!
Everyone who updates their AED listing or registers a new AED during October 2024 will be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card. Five winners will be drawn in early November.
How to Enter:
FIND OUT IF YOUR AED IS ALREADY REGISTERED
Download the free PulsePoint AED app (it’s yellow!) on your cell phone at pulsepoint.org/download, or wherever you get your apps. Open the app, then click on the magnifying glass icon (upper right) to search by place name or address. You can also zoom in on the map and look at your location manually. If your AED is registered, the map will display a yellow AED icon pin and state how many AEDs it has registered for that location (e.g., Showing 2 AEDs). If there are no AEDs registered at that location or under that place name, the results will read No AEDs Found.
IF YOUR AED IS ALREADY REGISTERED:
  • Take a photo of your AED’s location, including the surrounding area.
  • Send it to Lisa Heddens at lheddens@hflaporte.org. Include the address where the AED is located, a brief description of where the AED is located at the address (e.g., on the first floor in front of the gym), and the name of the organization that owns the AED.
  • Make sure the photo clearly shows the AED in its environment. This will help dispatchers and bystanders find it quickly during an emergency.
IF YOUR AED IS NEW OR NOT YET REGISTERED:
  • Register your AED through one of the following methods:
  • Download the PulsePoint AED app on your phone or
  • Visit aed.new.
  • Search for the location by business name or address. Select your location from the list, or click on the blue click here link to add your location. Drag the AED icon to the correct location within the building, then click NEXT. Fill in all of the information you can about the AED, including a photo, its location, and the best contact person.
  • La Porte County E-911 will review your information and approve the AED, so it is added to the registry.
QUESTIONS? Contact Lisa Heddens at lheddens@hflaporte.org or by calling 219.326.2471.
Thank you for helping create a complete registry of AEDs in La Porte County!
Be Aware This SCA Awareness Month
  • Make sure you follow HFL on Facebook to view the SCA scenario videos.
  • Sign up for CPR training from one of the local fire departments listed above.
  • Download the PulsePoint Respond app so you’ll be notified of SCA emergencies near you.
  • Update or register your AED to be entered to win $100.
  • Visit sca-aware.org to learn more about SCA.
Join us to save lives from sudden cardiac arrest!