On National Go Red Day, Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) announces that two communities – Warwick and Westerly – have earned HeartSafe certification. This program is designed to help communities give people a better chance of surviving a heart attack or other cardiac emergency. HeartSafe communities must meet a number of criteria including offering CPR classes, placing automated external defibrillators (AEDs) throughout the community and on emergency response vehicles, training first responders, creating effective emergency response plans for municipal and school buildings, and evaluating the community’s response to cardiac emergencies.
“Heart disease is the number one killer in Rhode Island and in the country,” said Director of Health David R. Gifford, MD, MPH. “If someone is having a heart attack, the goal is to give them the best chance of survival. We applaud Warwick and Westerly for making this a priority in their community. We hope that other cities and towns in Rhode Island will do the same.”
The HeartSafe Community program is a collaboration of HEALTH and the American Heart Association. The HeartSafe Community certification is valid for three years.