Chicago Airport System Unveils HeartSaveTM Program - First Publicly Available Lifesaving Device in Country
(CHICAGO) May 27, 1999 - The Chicago Airport System is launching the Chicago HeartSaveTM program, the first program providing publicly accessible, potentially lifesaving defibrillators, located within one minute of any location in the terminal buildings of O'Hare International Airport and Midway Airport.
The Chicago Airport System HeartSaveTM program provides small automated external defibrillator (AED) kits, the Hewlett Packard HeartStream Forerunner, in cabinets throughout the terminals. More than 2,000 trained airport employees, 50,000 trained airline employees or any trained member of the public can open the cabinets to retrieve the device to assist a cardiac arrest victim. A person suffering sudden cardiac arrest loses consciousness very quickly and can die in a matter of minutes.
The rescuer hears instructions from the device and attaches adhesive pads to the victim. The device automatically interprets the victim's heart rhythm and determines if it should deliver a shock to re-establish normal heart rhythm. The HeartSaveTM program device will not deliver defibrillation to anyone not in sudden cardiac arrest.
Meanwhile, by opening the cabinet, the Airport Emergency 911 Center is immediately notified and Chicago Fire Department paramedics, Chicago Police Officers and Airport Special Police Officers are immediately dispatched to the scene. A phone adjacent to the HeartSaveTM
cabinet connects a rescuer to the 911 dispatcher who can also
provide instructions.
"This is a landmark day in the history of the Chicago Airport System. The Chicago HeartSaveTM program will save lives," said Aviation Commissioner Mary Rose Loney. "With many commercial aircraft now equipped with defibrillators, the HeartSaveTM
program greatly increases the chances that air travelers at our
nation's transportation hub can be saved if they suffer cardiac
arrest."
"We commend the Chicago Airport System for what will be a
tremendous program that will literally save the lives of many
travelers. We estimate 50,000 lives could be saved each year through
programs such as this," said David H. Cooke, M.D., president-elect
of the American Heart Association, Midwest Affiliate.
In an effort to further increase the survival
rates, the Chicago Airport System is offering the American Heart
Association's HeartSave AED course to any one who would like to become
fully trained in CPR and in operating these devices.
"We will be sponsoring the HeartSaveTM -A-Thon so that travelers can help us save lives," said Sherry Caffrey, Chicago HeartSaveTM director and Chicago Airport System Training Coordinator. "We want to thank the American Heart Association for assisting us with this comprehensive training program."
"Since many airports will no doubt emulate us, chances are travelers will be able to use this technology all around the country should a fellow traveler go into full cardiac arrest," Caffrey said.
HeartSave-A-Thons will be held on the following dates:
- August 7 at Wilbur Wright College (3400 N.
Austin)
- August 21 at Malcolm X College (1900 W. Van
Buren)
- September 11 at Pasteur Elementary School (5825 S. Kostner)
Anyone interested should call (773) 462-SAVE to request an application.
Signs located throughout the airport will depict the Chicago HeartSaveTM program logo so that would-be rescuers can find the HeartSaveTM cabinets. This program is a follow up to a three-year pilot program in International Terminal 5 where Immigration and Naturalization Service Inspectors twice saved passengers who went into full cardiac arrest.
Nationally, the American Heart Association
estimates that cardiac arrest strikes about 1,000 adults a day. More
than 95 percent of those victims die because either an AED is not
available or arrives too late to the scene.
