Criteria to Become a HeartSafe Community
To be designated a Maine HeartSafe Community, applicants must meet criteria that help improve cardiovascular health and decrease death and disability associated with cardiovascular events. The criteria are as follows:
- The EMS program and/or their community partners must offer CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) training to their community members.
- The EMS program and/or their community partners must offer cardiovascular-related education and/or awareness activities in their community.
- At least one emergency response designated vehicle must be equipped with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).
- Placement of at least one permanent AED with AED-trained personnel in public or private areas where many people are likely to congregate or be at higher risk for cardiac arrest (such as shopping malls, large employers, airports, etc.).
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support is dispatched to all priority medical emergencies, either as primary responders or as ALS backup. ALS backup may occur on-scene, en-route, or at the hospital Emergency Department.
- The EMS program has an ongoing program to evaluate and improve the "Chain of Survival" in their community.
Online Application
Importance of Having a HeartSafe Designation
Which Communities Have Been Designated so Far?
Resources & Links
