With February marking the start of Heart Month, St. John Ambulance B.C. & Yukon is encouraging everyone to prepare for heart-related emergencies by getting first aid trained.
Heart Month is dedicated to taking charge of one’s own heart health to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. There are many things one can do to lower their chance of heart disease, but the reality is that there is always still risk – for some even higher due to unchanging factors such as age, genetics, and ethnicity. With heart disease being the second leading cause of death in Canada, it’s crucial that bystanders know what to do if a heart-related emergency strikes.
“Taking prevention steps, such as improving diet, increasing exercise, quitting smoking, and reducing stress, is important and a great way to lower your risk for heart disease. However, we stress that first aid training should always be a part of a heart health plan, given that many heart diseases and conditions lead to serious incidents such as heart attacks and sudden cardiac arrests,” said Christopher Chan, learning and development officer for St. John Ambulance BC & Yukon.
A heart attack is usually linked to coronary artery disease, a type of heart disease, and a sudden cardiac arrest is usually triggered by a condition such as an irregular heartbeat or it can occur right after a heart attack.
While these medical emergencies look different, they both can happen to anyone, no matter age, gender, or fitness level, and survival from each largely relies on bystanders. Sudden cardiac arrest, for instance, is likely fatal if no treatment is given within the first five minutes of collapse. In B.C., over 6,000 sudden cardiac arrests occur each year.
“We’re hoping that this Heart Month people will give focus to maintaining a prepared heart with first aid training alongside their own preventative health measures,” said Ty Speer, CEO of St. John Ambulance BC & Yukon. “In our first aid courses, instructors guide students through each step of response for heart-related emergencies, which can include signs and symptoms to look for, how to approach a casualty, how to position and assist someone having a heart attack, and how to perform CPR and use an AED for sudden cardiac arrests. Students are left with newfound knowledge and increased confidence to step in and save a life.”
In their 19 locations across B.C., St. John Ambulance consistently advocates for CPR training and pushes for increased public access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to help save more lives from sudden cardiac arrest. Their most recent work includes the Start Me Up BC campaign, in which they aim to install 1,000 publicly accessible AED stands throughout the province.
Proceeds from their first aid training and safety products go towards the charity’s community service programs. Register for a course this Heart Month at sja.ca/first-aid-training or by calling 1-866-321-2651.
