Since 1924, the American Heart Association has been fighting heart disease and stroke and helping people to live longer, healthier lives. Our local AHA shares ways that you can stay healthy, get involved and help raise awareness right here in NEPA.
World Restart a Heart Day – Thursday, October 16
This fall, the American Heart Association is urging families, schools and workplaces to make World Restart a Heart Day on Oct. 16, 2025, a day of action by learning how to save a life in two simple steps.
Step 1: Call 911.
Step 2: Push hard and fast in the center of the chest until help arrives.
Emergencies don’t wait, and when a life is on the line, it could take more than one person to make the difference. It takes a family that knows what to do, a community that’s prepared and individuals who have the courage to act.
The American Heart Association is calling on everyone to be prepared, take action and stand together. In the moments that matter most, every second — and every person — counts. Preparedness isn’t just about knowledge — it’s about courage, community and commitment. Together, we’re ready to save.
When a heart stops, it’s the people nearby who start the chain of survival. And that chain is strongest when every one of us is ready to be the link that saves a life.
The American Heart Association has set a goal of doubling the survival of cardiac arrest by 2030. We know that in order to save more lives from the 350,000 cardiac arrests that occur outside of the hospital every year, we must increase the number of people who respond to cardiac arrest by calling 911, delivering high-quality CPR and getting and using an AED as soon as it is available.
Currently 90% of people who suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests do not survive, in part because they do not receive CPR more than half of the time. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a person’s chance of survival.
Joining the Nation of Lifesavers is easier than ever with many learning options available. In Northeast Pennsylvania, families can:
- Take an online CPR course.
- Learn and practice with a CPR Anytime® Training Kit.
- Watch a 60-second video to learn Hands-Only CPR for adults or this video to learn how to save an infant or child using CPR with breaths.
- Find a Heartsaver™ course near them.
- Travelers can get trained in Hands-Only CPR in about five minutes while they wait for their flights with a CPR kiosk, available in public places and airports across the country.
- Learn how to perform Hands-Only CPR and use an AED in an immersive experience for free on the Meta App Store.
