The North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council (NCTTRAC) has designated Arlington as a Heart Safe Community, recognizing the City's commitment to increasing the chances of residents surviving a sudden cardiac arrest. This designation also represents the Arlington City Council's priority to Champion Great Neighborhoods.
Arlington is the first large city in Texas to receive this honor. Mansfield, Bedford, and Highland Village also received the designation this year.
The Heart Safe program is a concept focused upon strengthening the "chain of survival" as described by the American Heart Association. The first Heart Safe program began in Massachusetts in 2002.
The North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council has worked for the last two years to bring the program to Texas, establishing goals that support the chain of survival. These include widespread CPR instruction, public access defibrillators, and aggressive resuscitation protocols for first responders and area hospitals.
Community awareness and education also play an important role. When a city achieves these goals, the municipality earns a "heartbeat." If a city earns enough "heartbeats" based on their population, they are eligible to be designated as a Heart Safe Community.
This recognition is valid for the next three years, at which time the City will resubmit the application. It is the goal of the Arlington Fire Department for the City and its partners to continue to set higher standards for combating heart disease and sudden cardiac death.
Here are just a few things that residents and organizations can do to help keep Arlington Heart Safe:
- Learn CPR
- Hands-Only CPR (no mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing) can be learned in just a few minutes.
- Individuals and non-profit groups can learn CPR through Arlington Fire's Medical Operations Division by calling 817-459-6028
- Companies can use the following link to find a CPR instructor to come teach their employees: http://www.arlington-tx.gov/fire/programs-initiative/cpr-aed-training/
- Encourage local businesses and churches to invest in Public Access Defibrillators (AEDs)
- If you have installed a Public Access Defibrillator in a building in Arlington, please register it here: http://www.arlington-tx.gov/fire/aed-registration/
- If you are considering adding a PAD to your business and have further questions, please call Arlington Fire Department at 817-459-6028
- Advocate smoking cessation and heart healthy options at restaurants
- Encourage healthy diets, regular exercise, and yearly medical exams.
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