In February, in recognition of Heart Month, the American Heart Association (AHA) partnered with Rick Case Automotive Group to donate 250 CPR Anytime Training Kits to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital and Broward Health. The initiative aims to equip families with the skills and resources to perform CPR on children and adults in emergencies, helping to increase survival rates for those experiencing cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting.
The CPR Anytime Training Kits are designed to allow individuals to learn life-saving CPR techniques in about 20 to 30 minutes at home. The kits are incredibly impactful for families with children, as they enable parents to be prepared in case of an emergency. In addition to the donation, kits were distributed at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital to families of hospitalized children, ensuring they can take the necessary steps to learn CPR and keep their loved ones safe.
Cardiac arrest remains one of the leading causes of death in the United States, with 90% of those affected outside of a hospital dying due to a lack of timely intervention. The AHA and Rick Case Automotive Group are working to change these statistics by empowering individuals to take action.
Studies show that when CPR is administered within the first few minutes of cardiac arrest, survival chances can double or triple. By making CPR training accessible and easy to learn at home, the initiative is helping save lives and raising awareness about the importance of prompt action.
The distribution of CPR kits is part of AHA’s “Nation of Lifesavers” campaign, encouraging people to learn CPR and act as potential lifesavers in emergencies. The goal is to equip communities across Broward County with the tools and knowledge needed to save lives. Over the next three years, AHA will distribute 750 CPR kits to local hospitals, NICUs, and other organizations. The kits cover all age groups—infants, children, and adults—ensuring that people can learn CPR for anyone in their care.
The initiative’s impact is significant. Each year, more than 23,000 children experience cardiac arrest outside of the hospital, while a total of 350,000 cardiac arrests occur in the U.S. annually. By distributing these kits and offering CPR training, the AHA aims to combat these troubling statistics, especially among under-resourced communities, where infant mortality rates remain higher than average.
The organization has already distributed over 2,300 CPR Anytime Kits throughout Broward County and plans to continue this critical work. Since the launch of the Nation of Lifesavers initiative two years ago, the AHA has seen a 6% increase in bystander confidence in performing CPR, a step forward in improving overall survival rates during emergencies.
