Essentia Health, American Heart Association partner to distribute CPR Anytime Kits

In partnership with the American Heart Association (AHA), Essentia Health in Fargo distributed 48 CPR Anytime Kits to area businesses across the Red River Valley on Thursday, March 6.

The goal is to empower individuals to act during a cardiac emergency.

"The fear of not knowing what to do or hurting somebody is definitely a barrier to performing CPR," said Ryan Telford, STEMI program manager at Essentia Health.

According to the AHA, 90% of people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die, in part because they do not receive CPR more than half of the time. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a person’s chance of survival.

"Increasing the number of individuals who are trained to act in a cardiac emergency is vital to the health of our communities," added Telford. "Early CPR is a key step in the chain of survival for those experiencing cardiac arrest, which means we are equipping people across our state to become lifesavers."

Funded by Essentia Health, the CPR Anytime® Kits allow anyone to learn basic lifesaving skills in about 20 minutes. Each kit includes instructional materials and practice tools that worksites can use to train their employees in the lifesaving skill of hands-only CPR.

Essentia Health will also assist with providing education on how to use the kits for employee training. Through these kits, the AHA and Essentia aim to equip individuals with life-saving knowledge and skills.

WATCH: Ryan Telford and Jessica Lundgren discuss the importance of CPR and these kits with local KVRR reporter, Juliana Pelaez

"We are deeply grateful to Essentia Health for their generous sponsorship of this crucial initiative," said Jessica Lundgren, senior school engagement director for the AHA in North Dakota. "With these kits, we hope to provide individuals across our state with the confidence and competence they need to act swiftly and effectively in the event of a cardiac emergency."

The AHA has set a goal of doubling the survival of cardiac arrest by 2030. In order to save more lives from the 350,000 cardiac arrests that occur outside of the hospital every year, the AHA seeks to increase the number of people who respond to cardiac arrest by calling 911, delivering high-quality CPR and getting and using an AED as soon as it is available.

"This was another way to partner with the AHA while directly benefiting our community," said Telford. "Our mission is to make a healthy difference in people's lives, and this extends beyond the walls of our clinics and hospitals.

"We want our community to feel equipped and prepared for those emergency situations, and these early intervention kits are a piece of community response."

For businesses looking to update or expand their CPR preparedness, please email [email protected].

For more information about CPR, visit cpr.heart.org.