HEARTSafe Community
About
The City of Rochester and Monroe County are committed to making our community safer and more prepared to respond to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) emergencies. As part of this commitment, we have begun the process to achieve the national HEARTSafe Community designation from the Citizen CPR Foundation.
Each year, far too many lives are lost to sudden cardiac arrest because bystanders are unsure of what to do in the critical moments before emergency responders arrive. By pursuing the HEARTSafe Community designation, Rochester and Monroe County will enhance public awareness, increase access to life-saving tools like automated external defibrillators (AEDs), and provide widespread CPR training to empower our residents to act quickly and confidently in emergencies.
Achieving designation
To achieve this designation, our community must meet 13 key criteria that improve emergency response, medical treatment, and recovery outcomes. These efforts include:
- Training at least 15% of the community in CPR annually
- Strategically placing AEDs throughout the city and county
- Educating the public on recognizing and responding to cardiac emergencies
- Enhancing 911 call center capabilities with telephone-guided CPR and AED instruction
- Collecting and analyzing data to continuously improve emergency response
By meeting these standards, Rochester and Monroe County will be nationally recognized as a HEARTSafe Community, reinforcing our commitment to saving lives and promoting heart health. This initiative is made possible through collaboration with local healthcare providers, emergency responders, community organizations, and dedicated residents.
Together, we can turn Rochester into a model city for cardiac emergency preparedness and ensure that more lives are saved every year.