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Tips for CPR and AED Awareness Week

Updated June 9, 2015

The goal of CPR and AED Awareness Week is to prepare millions of people to provide bystander CPR

CPR and AED Awareness Week happens each year during the first week of June. According to the American Heart Association, the goal of CPR and AED Awareness Week is to train one million people in CPR.

EMS providers can assist this effort by using these Everyday EMS Tips:

  1. Become an AHA BLS trainer.
  2. Answer the call from your training center to coordinate or assist training programs.
  3. Encourage patients that are grateful for your service to give back by becoming CPR certified.
  4. Host a CPR training program at your organization.
  5. Include basic information in school age children station tours about recognizing emergencies, calling 911, and relieving foreign body airway obstructions.
  6. Add your organization’s training numbers to the real-time AHA counter.
  7. Ask about the presence of an AED during building fire inspections.
  8. Include a link to the CPR and AED Awareness Week Web site from your organization Web site or blog.

Do this now! Call a friend, parent, sibling, business associate, or child and encourage them to become CPR certified. Answer their questions about risks, the importance of citizens taking action, and how to find a CPR course in your city.

Greg Friese, MS, NRP, is an educator, author and national registry paramedic. He previously served as the Lexipol Media Group editorial director, leading the editorial teams on Police1, FireRescue1, Corrections1, EMS1 and Gov1. Prior to that, Friese served as the EMS1 editor-in-chief for five years. Friese has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master’s degree from the University of Idaho. He has received multiple honors from both the Jesse H. Neal Awards and the Eddie Awards, the latter awards including Best Column/Blog honors in 2018 and 2020, and special recognition as Editorial Director of the Year in 2024. Friese was a 2010 recipient of the EMS 10 Award for innovation. Connect with Greg on Twitter or LinkedIn.