Town of Southington recognized as a HEART Safe Community

 It was announced today that on April 13, 2015, the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health and the American Heart Association designated the Town of Southington as a HEART Safe Community, affirming the Town’s commitment to providing improved response to cardiac care to residents. 

Garry Brumback

“The Town of Southington is committed to providing quality heart safe services to the residents and visitors of the town,” said Garry Brumback, Southington Town Manager.   “This designation recognizes the Towns efforts to prepare staff and citizen’s to recognize when someone suffers a sudden cardiac arrest and how to respond.” Brumback praised the efforts of the Southington Fire Department and the Plainville-Southington Health District in assisting the Town in receiving this designation.

The HEART Safe Communities program is designed to promote and accelerate survival chances from sudden out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.  It works by strengthening the “chain of survival,” utilizing early 9-1-1 access, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, defibrillation and advanced care.

HEART Safe Communities helps communities and organizations to:

• educate citizens about sudden cardiac arrest and improving heart health
• raise money to place Automated External Defibrillators (AED) in the hands of emergency medical service, fire and police personnel, and to make AEDs available in businesses, schools and other public gathering places
• train people how to use AEDs and perform Cardiopulmonary resuscitation ( CPR)

Southington's 36 AED’s in public buildings and its more than 200 residents and staff trained in CPR, far exceed the requirements to become a HEART Safe Community.  For much more detailed information on the HEART Safe program, visit Heartsafe Communities.