Take Heart Anoka and TPT team to bring Sudden Cardiac Arrest, CPR and AED Awareness to the public.

“We’re calling it the world premiere,” says Allina emergency room doc, Charles Lick, MD of the Twin Cities Public Television’s “No Fear CPR: Take Action, Save Lives” to be broadcast this Saturday night. “This is a fast-paced half hour that explains what sudden cardiac arrest, the number one killer in America, really is and how spending just a few minutes learning CPR and how to use an AED can make anyone into a life-saver.”

“No Fear CPR: Take Action, Save Lives” will air on TPT 17 this Saturday, September 27 at 9 P.M. and again on Sunday, October 19 at 7:30 P.M. The program was produced by TPT in conjunction with the Take Heart Anoka County program, funded by grants from the Mercy & Unity Hospitals Foundation and administered by Allina Community Benefit and Allina Medical Transportation.

“A key part of Take Heart Anoka County is public awareness of Sudden Cardiac Arrest, and how dismal survival rates can be dramatically improved when people learn CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED),” says Lick. “That’s why we’ve put so much effort into this production. We’ll make this program into DVDs to place with schools, businesses and clubs and also put on the internet.”

Lick says the other important thing for people to know is that Take Heart Anoka County has two grant programs. “The first grant is for people to buy a CPR Anytime kit for $10, normally $30. It’s a learn-CPR-at-home product that teaches CPR and AED use in less than an hour with a DVD and inflatable mannequin,” Lick says. “If they use that kit and train at least three people in CPR and AED use, they get their $10 back.”

The other grant allows the purchase of a $2000 AED and mounting cabinet for $400. If grant winners show that the AED has been placed in a public location and at least 25 people have been trained in CPR and AED use, they get their $400 back.

Grant application is available here. The grants are available to anyone living in the Mercy and Unity Hospitals service area.

MINNEAPOLIS — (August 15, 2008) - More than 100 workers with Canadian Pacific Railway were trained on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) this summer by Take Heart Anoka County.

Nyle Zikmund, chief of the Spring Lake Park, Blaine Mounds View Fire Corps, brought the Anytime CPR Program to the attention of his department. Mike Erko, who is a member of the Fire Corps and works for Canadian Pacific Railway, saw an opportunity to take the program back to his coworkers at the railroad.

“The Railroad workers reacted very favorably and we had a high participation rate,” said Erko. “The feedback from workers and managers who attended was all good.”

Training consisted of an explanation of the program and of the Fire Corps. Then, participants watched a DVD about CPR and had some hands-on work with manikins.

Erko says the Fire Corps plans on with more training in the future. “The SBM Fire Corps would like to see all of Anoka County well equipped to save lives and enhance the quality of our own lives as well as residents of our community,” he said.

Through a grant funded by Mercy & Unity Hospitals Foundation, Take Heart Anoka County is giving the north metro community an opportunity to apply for two life-saving training opportunities: the CPR Anytime package and the AED package. The applications are open to community organizations, groups, schools, churches or businesses within Take Heart Anoka County area.

The CPR Anytime package contains five to 60 CPR Anytime kits. Each kit includes a mini CPR manikin, a CPR skills practice DVD, American Heart Association CPR for family and friends booklet, and a mini Anne spare lung. The package also includes a one-hour train-the-trainer CPR session. Applicants must train a minimum of 3 individuals for every kit received and there must be a deposit of $10 for each kit. The deposit is refundable when the required people have been trained.

The AED Package includes the brand of choice AED; preparedness kit and wall mount storage cabinet. Take Heart staff lead an orientation session to determine which AED is most appropriate for the site and AED training. The AED Package requires a $400 deposit that is refundable when applicants conduct CPR training of at least 25 people per site.

To apply for a grant, submit a completed Take Heart Anoka County grant application by email or mail by Aug 29, 2008. The application form can be found at www.takeheartanoka.org. Funding decisions and notification will be made within 30 days of the application deadline.