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Save a Life. Jump Start a Heart.

There are more than 356,000 out-of-hospital Sudden Cardiac Arrests (SCA) each year in the U.S., a condition in which the heart unexpectedly stops beating, halting blood flow to the brain and other organs. Unfortunately, SCA carries with it a 90% fatality rate.

Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) are portable, lightweight devices that, when used along with CPR, can restore a healthy heart rhythm for a person before emergency help arrives. AED’s are simple life-saving devices that are easy and safe for anyone to use. Research has shown that the chance of survival increases by 70-80% if defibrillation can be performed within minutes.

Together We Can Save Lives.

Spearheaded by West Feliciana Hospital’s EMS Department, the Jump Start a Heart Community AED Program works to bridge the gap with life-saving care between a SCA event and the arrival of emergency responders.

Think of it as the Amber alert for cardiac arrest victims.

Here’s how it works:

The Hospital is registering all existing AEDs in West Feliciana Parish and is purchasing and installing additional units to strategically locate devices across the parish.
Community members are encouraged to download a 911-connected PulsePoint Respond App, which will provide access to a map showing the locations of all AEDs across the community in an emergency. Visit the app store and download the PulsePoint Respond App to your iPhone or Android phone.
These volunteers will be notified by the app if they are in the vicinity of a cardiac emergency and directed to the victim’s location so they can administer help prior to the emergency responders’ arrival.
The PulsePoint Respond App empowers everyday citizens to provide life-saving assistance to victims of sudden cardiac arrest. Those trained in CPR can volunteer to become a CITIZEN RESPONDER.
PulsePoint info graphic

Watch this two minute video...

…and learn more about how PulsePoint can save a life and how you can help.

For more information on training, tools and resources, or to register your AED, contact:

Dawn McBeth, NREMT-P, WFH-EMS
225-635-2446
McBethD@wfph.org

Did You Know?

Good Samaritan laws grant immunity from liability to volunteers who assist others in emergency situations, including using an AED life saving device on another person.  See more details about the law:  New Orleans Bar Association and la.gov law.

Questions About the Jump Start a Heart Program?

Check out the videos below. Learn about the program’s success across the nation, and see how Jump Start a Heart uses PulsePoint technology to help save lives here in West Feliciana Parish.

baby saved video
first responder video
CPR alert video

How can I learn CPR?

CPR today is very easy to perform and can be learned quickly in informal settings such as community street fairs, group training sessions, take-home DVD-based courses, or even by watching brief online videos (although these types of training environments do not provide certificates of skill documentation). In addition, West Feliciana Hospital holds routine CPR training sessions throughout the year.

Check here for a list of scheduled classes.  If your group or organization would like to schedule a CPR training class by West Feliciana Hospital EMS, please contact Dawn McBeth, at 225-635-2446 or McBethD@wfph.org

Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) actually require no training to use.

Other sources for CPR Training are:

The Jump Start a Heart program is brought to you by a partnership between West Feliciana Hospital and the following:

west feliciana parish sheriff's office
west feliciana parish government
west feliciana parish fire protection dist 1
west feliciana parish schools
town of st francisville

Download the PulsePoint app to your iPhone or Android phone at the app store.

App Store
App Store
Google Play
Google Play
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