BROOKLINE — February is American Heart Month, and the Brookline Department of Public Health and Human Services is launching a heart-safe community initiative, The Heart Beat Project, a program that focuses on hands-only CPR and AED training to empower community members to respond effectively in a cardiac emergency.
Throughout February, Public Health Nurse Kat Troisi-Bossi and Community Health Manager Darlene Johnson will visit locations around town to provide free hands-only training.
The first training sessions will take place at the Town Hall Lobby, 333 Washington St., on the following dates:
- Tuesday, Feb. 4, from 1-4 p.m.
- Wednesday, Feb. 5, from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- Thursday, Feb. 6, from 1-4 p.m.
Those interested in becoming Red Cross-certified in CPR and AED use can submit their contact information here to receive updates on full training sessions. Certification courses last four to five hours and cost $40 per person.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a first aid technique combining chest compressions and rescue breathing to maintain blood circulation to the brain. CPR is performed when someone experiences cardiac arrest or stops breathing.
In some cases, resuscitation may require an automated external defibrillator (AED)- a portable device that delivers an electric shock to restore a normal heart rhythm during sudden cardiac arrest.
Cardiac events can happen at any time, and knowing how to perform CPR and use an AED can significantly increase a person’s chance of survival.
“Knowing how to perform hands-only CPR and use an AED can mean the difference between life and death in a cardiac emergency, and The Heart Beat Project offers community members these life-saving skills to create a safer, more prepared Brookline,” said Sigalle Reiss, Director of Public Health and Human Services.
Public buildings in Brookline are equipped with emergency response devices, including:
- Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs)
- Stop the Bleed Kits, which contain tourniquets to control severe bleeding
- SAMBOX Kits, which include naloxone (Narcan) to reverse opioid overdoses
A GIS map showing the locations of these emergency response devices will be shared once available.
To learn more about The Heart Beat Project, visit www.brooklinema.gov/hbp.
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