Be a CPR SMART champion! Be Heroic!

As the kids are heading back to school, we have an opportunity to help build the next generation of lifesavers through working with your local high school to include CPR training into a currently required course that reaches all students. But we need your help.

 What you can do:

•  Sign up with AHA as a champion for working with an area school(s).  [email protected]
• Others champions may want to work with you.  Allyson Perron will help coordinate our champion teams.

 Championing:

• Identify a couple of community members involved with EMS, health or heart attack survivors, and ask them to work with you on achieving CPR skill training as a key element all students in your school will be taught prior to graduation.
• Reach out to school administration leadership or a local school board member.  Note that you are an AHA CPR SMART champion and would like to work with them to have the school achieve recognition as a CPR SMART school.
• Work with the school to determine:
  • Have they already included CPR in a course required for graduation (non-elective course)
  • If they are not already training their students, would they consider passing a policy to require hands-only CPR as a graduation requirement
  • To decide a CPR training structure that best meets their needs, schools are encouraged to work with local ambulance, fire, hospitals, CPR training sites or Regional Education Associations for a solution that works best.  AHA staff available to assist with questions – [email protected]
  • Working with your school contact, ask the school to pursue CPR SMART recognition through board discussion and recognition of the inclusion of the training in an established course that will reach every student moving forward – such as freshman PE or other required course/grade level.
  • Support school submission for recognition as a CPR SMART school

Your work could be the difference for someone in need of by-stander CPR and in building our next generation of lifesavers in your community!