June 1-7, 2008 will mark the first observation of National CPR/AED Awareness Week.

Congress designated the first week of June each year for this event, with the goal of encouraging states, cities and towns to establish organized programs to provide CPR and AED training to the public.

The American Red Cross and American Heart Association are both supporting the effort.

"Through this outreach, we hope that we can raise the public awareness of sudden cardiac arrest, suffered by more than 300,000 people each year and increase the chance of survival that can be achieved by having at least one person in each household trained in CPR and the use of an AED," the American Red Cross reports.

Will your agency work to promote CPR and AED training in your community?

In conjunction with this event, June is cardiac care month in EMS Magazine. Look for the latest cardiac care coverage in your incoming issue, and view the latest CPR coverage online:

CPR/AED Week News

• Congress Clears the Way for National CPR and AED Awareness Week
• National CPR/AED Awareness Week Introduced in Congress

CPR Promotion Videos

• "Executive Decision" and "Rocket Science"

CPR Program News

• Washington Woman's Death Inspires CPR Program for Seniors
• Colorado Rescuers Pilot CPR Program at Middle School
• Massachusetts Rescuers Use Teddy Bears to Teach CPR
• Nitro, WV Puts a CPR-Trained Person on Every Street
• Free Food Draws Interest in Pennsylvania CPR class
• Commentary: Community CPR Skills Save More Lives
• American Heart Association Adds to its Family of CPR Anytime Self-Directed Learning Programs--Infant CPR Anytime

EMS Agency CPR News

• Revised CPR Method Helps Save Arizonans
• Pennsylvania Rescuers Embrace 21st-Century CPR Training
• New Madison, WI Protocol Calls for CCR Over CPR
• Raleigh in National Study, Shows Survival to Hospital Discharge After Cardiac Arrest Doubles With Improved CPR and Impedance Threshold Device
• Oklahoma EMS Officials: CPR Change Is Saving More Lives

CPR Studies:

• AHA Says Hands-Only CPR OK
• Studies: Cardiac Arrest Survival Rates Similar after Standard CPR and Chest Compressions Only
• New CPR May Offer Better Results
• Study: Chest Presses, Not Breaths, Help CPR
• Data: CCR Triples Survival Chances Over CPR
• Study: Cardiocerebral Resuscitation is Better than CPR for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

CPR Coverage in EMS Magazine:

• Survival Rates Jump in New Cardiac Arrest Study
• For Better CPR, Avoid Breaths and Compress the Stomach?
• 400 Compressions Shows Promising Results (scroll down page)
• More Support for compressions (scroll down page)