FDNY Foundation-Funded Programs Continue to Help Save Lives
January 8, 2016
Foundation Celebrates 18th Year of Life-Saving Television Special
January 20, 2016
Successful Year for Teen CPR Program, New Goals Set for 2016
The second half of 2015 was highly successful for a program launched at the end of 2014 aimed at offering high school students across New York City the opportunity to save lives by learning compressions-only CPR.
The FDNY Foundation joined the FDNY, NYC Service and the New York City Department of Education to offer the bystander CPR program called “Be 911: Teens Take Heart.” The free program targets high school students and prepares them to act as citizen responders, stepping in to save a life in response to a victim of cardiac arrest.
“This is a life-saving, life-changing skill that greatly enhances these students’ lives, and puts each one of them in a position to give back to their communities in a most unique way,” said Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro. “This program is equipping students with the ability to give the gift of life to family members, friends, neighbors and any citizen, should that person ever be in need.”
The FDNY worked with NYC Service to develop a list of high schools to begin the training and targeted communities with high incidences of cardiac arrest and cardiovascular risk factors. In addition, the FDNY Bureau of Training, EMS Academy, developed a program to educate students on cardiovascular health and to promote a healthy heart and lifestyle.
In total, schools have requested training for nearly 11,400 students. To date, the team has trained more than half of the schools that requested more information and is currently scheduling trainings with the remaining schools.
The Foundation-funded Mobile CPR Unit was able to train more than 17,000 volunteers – including more than 4,600 high school students – in Fiscal Year 2015 through the general Be 911 CPR Program, as well as the high school-specific Teens Take Heart Program.
Additionally, from July to December 2015, the Mobile CPR Unit trained nearly 11,000 more volunteers, including nearly 700 high school students.
The program is taught by a diverse group of certified Emergency Medical Service (EMS) professionals. This year, the goal is to train more than 7,500 high school students. To learn more about how your school could be educated in these life-saving skills, click here.
And, to learn more about the FDNY’s educational initiatives, check out FDNY Smart.
“This is a life-saving, life-changing skill that greatly enhances these students’ lives, and puts each one of them in a position to give back to their communities in a most unique way. This program is equipping students with the ability to give the gift of life to family members, friends, neighbors and any citizen, should that person ever be in need.”
