Columbia CARES (Cardiac Arrest Response Education and Safety)

PA Educator Rita Brown, DMSc, PA-C, DFAAPA, PA Student Elizabeth Cole, and their team at the University of South Carolina are addressing gaps in emergency preparedness by increasing access to free, culturally responsive, lifesaving education.

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a leading cause of death in the United States; and survival often depends on recognition and rapid response, including bystander CPR and AED use.

“With a background in cardiology, I have witnessed the devastating impact of sudden cardiac arrest on patients, families, and communities. I have also seen how immediate bystander action can save a life,” said Brown.

Despite proven benefits, disparities exist in who receives CPR; and barriers, including lack of CPR education opportunities, persist.

This program intentionally focuses on areas at higher risk for poor cardiac arrest outcomes, including underserved urban and rural populations and minority communities with higher cardiovascular mortality rates.

Hosted in trusted, accessible community spaces, training sessions will include instruction regarding recognition of sudden cardiac arrest, activation of emergency medical services, hands-only CPR technique, AED awareness and utilization, and building confidence and willingness to respond during emergencies.

Funding strives to improve representation, accessibility, and engagement by making available diverse CPR manikins, AED training devices, and multilingual educational materials.

Participant attendance, pre- and post-training surveys, community partnership tracking, and feedback from PA students and community organizations will track program success.

Brown added, “Seeing how critical immediate intervention is during a cardiac emergency reinforced my belief that everyone should have free and equitable access to CPR training.”

The Health Foundation is pleased to support this scalable service-learning initiative that fosters access to inclusive, community-centered training designed to save lives.

This project was supported by the Kathy J. Pedersen Grant to Promote Equitable Care.