ANAHEIM, Calif. (Nov. 8, 2018) – Visit Anaheim, in partnership with American Heart Association (AHA), Orange County Division, donated eight life-saving CPR kits to Western and Loara High Schools today in Anaheim, Calif. Part of the multi-year campaign, “Heart-to-Heart,” Visit Anaheim has pledged to provide each of the eight Anaheim Union High Schools with multiple American Heart Association's CPR in Schools Training Kit™ enabling students to learn the lifesaving skills of CPR in just one class period.
Launched in Nov. 2017, Visit Anaheim’s “Heart-to-Heart” was created to give back to the residents of Anaheim, providing life-saving CPR skills and education to Anaheim high school students. According to the Orange County Health Profile, heart disease is the leading cause of death in Orange County, Calif. Roughly 70 percent of cardiac arrests that occur outside a hospital occur at home and 90 percent of those victims do not survive due to people around them not knowing how to administer CPR. Education and CPR training is the best defense in preventing the devastating effects of heart disease. By providing Anaheim high school students with CPR training, the hope is that more lives could be saved in Anaheim and Orange County.
“Inspired by American Heart Association’s decision to host their 2017 Scientific Sessions at the Anaheim Convention Center after a 16-year absence and with their commitment to return in 2025, Visit Anaheim’s ‘Heart-to-Heart’ campaign celebrates and supports the association’s relentless mission to help educate and train our future to fight heart disease,” said Jay Burress, president & CEO, Visit Anaheim. “Giving back to our local community is a fundamental part of what we do as an organization, so to be able to make such a direct, positive impact on our city’s future year-after-year is an opportunity we fully embrace.”
In 2017, Visit Anaheim donated eight CPR in Schools Training Kit™ to Katella and Anaheim High Schools. Today, Loara and Western High Schools were also gifted four CPR in Schools Training Kits each, eight in total. CPR in Schools Training Kit enables students to learn the lifesaving skills of CPR in just one class period. Plus, the kit teaches AED use and choking relief. The easy-to-use kit is designed specifically for the needs of schools. The kit’s brand-new wheeled bag allows for convenient movement from classroom to classroom and easy storage. It’s also reusable – one kit can train hundreds of people.
“Anaheim Union High School District is very grateful to the American Heart Association and Visit Anaheim for their generous gift of CPR kits to Western and Loara High Schools,” said Patricia Hatcher, Health Curriculum Specialist, Anaheim Union High School District. “The new law AB1719 requires compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation instruction in all health classes. This donation will allow our district to abide by the law and more importantly teach our students this critical emergency lifesaving procedure. Studies have shown that CPR can double or triple chances of survival after cardiac arrest. Having our students trained in CPR may allow them to save a life in the future.”
Heart-to-Heart Campaign Details
In collaboration with American Heart Association, Orange County Division, Visit Anaheim will continue the “Heart-to-Heart” campaign until all eight Anaheim Union High Schools are equipped with the life-saving CPR kits. This program will ultimately impact more than 15,000 students in Anaheim. AHA facilitates a CPR demonstration to each school’s faculty to ensure proper CPR training is offered to students. Each CPR kit includes 10 mannequins to train up to 20 students at one time.
Visit Anaheim Giveback Efforts
Anaheim is a premier destination for meetings and conventions attracting nearly one million convention attendees per year. Many of the events and tradeshows hosting meetings at the Anaheim Convention Center and surrounding hotels incorporate give-back programs that positively impact the community. Engaging in philanthropic projects that serve the residents of Anaheim and surrounding Orange County continue to benefit the local community long after convention attendees and visitors return home.
For more information on Visit Anaheim’s giveback efforts, go to visitanaheim.org.
About Visit Anaheim: Founded in 1961, Visit Anaheim is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit destination marketing organization. Visit Anaheim’s mission is to develop, market, and sell Anaheim to benefit the economic vitality of its neighborhoods. To learn more about Visit Anaheim, visit: www.visitanaheim.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – the two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.