October is Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month - Be Prepared, Save a Life
October is designated as Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month, and for good reason. According to the American Red Cross, more than 350,000 people in the U.S. every year experience an out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest. Tragically, about 90% of them die. What’s more, over 70% of those events happen in the home.
The difference between life and death often comes down to what happens in the first few minutes. The Red Cross emphasizes that immediate CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) by a bystander can double or even triple the chance of survival. That’s why being trained in CPR and AED (automated external defibrillator) use isn’t just “nice to have”, it’s potentially life-saving.
Why This Matters
- Sudden cardiac arrest isn’t the same as a heart attack. It happens when the heart stops beating normally due to abnormal electrical activity.
- Because it can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time without warning, being prepared matters.
- Seconds count: calling 911 is essential, but until EMS arrives, the best chance someone has is a bystander who knows what to do.
- The Red Cross notes that last year more than 6.6 million people turned to them for first aid, CPR and AED and other lifesaving training.
How You Can Respond, And How Our Classes Help
If you’ve been thinking “I should do something but don’t know where to start,” this is your moment. Our Red Cross-affiliated training offerings make this practical and accessible. Here’s how our classes support you:
- CPR & AED training: Learn how to recognize cardiac arrest, start chest compressions, deliver rescue breaths (if applicable), and use an AED.
- Blended learning: UVAC’s Red Cross classes offers a flexible format of online learning and in-person class time.
- Confidence & readiness: After training you’ll walk away not just with a certificate, but with the experience and muscle-memory of what to do, so that if the moment comes, you act.
Tips For Making It Real
- Encourage your workplace, community group, or family to sign-up together - group training builds awareness across more people.
- Post your certificate or training photo on social media and write “I’m trained” - it can lead others to ask, “How do I get trained?”
- Keep the Red Cross First Aid app on your phone so you have guidance if something happens.
- At home, note where the nearest AED is (gym, workplace, community center) and make sure family members know its location.
Final Thought
It’s easy to assume someone else will act if a cardiac arrest happens, but in most cases, it’s a bystander in the first 5 to 10 minutes who makes the pivotal difference. By taking a CPR/AED class, you’re investing in someone’s survival - it could be a family member, friend, coworker, or even a stranger. If you ever asked, “What can I do to help?”, this is it.
Visit our training page www.uvacswim.org/red-cross-courses and register for the next CPR/AED session. Give yourself the gift of preparedness and be ready when seconds count.