On Monday, April 1, 2024, the County of Los Angeles Fire Department (LACoFD) participated in a press conference hosted by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) to mark the successful completion of the 2023 Heart Heroes Campaign and launch the new Community Readiness Champions Initiative.
Centered around training individuals in Hands-Only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), the Heart Heroes Campaign was the primary focus of the press conference. Throughout the 2023 campaign, the LACoFD actively participated and joined the collective efforts in successfully training over 500,000 residents and workers in Hands-Only CPR.
This training equipped community members with the necessary life-saving skills to effectively respond to cardiac arrest, especially in situations where immediate professional medical assistance may not be accessible. This was a significant team effort to raise awareness and preparedness levels throughout the County of Los Angeles (County).
During the event, LACoFD Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone expressed his appreciation to DPH Director, Dr. Barbara Ferrer, for including LACoFD and many community partners in the Heart Heroes Campaign. “We are here to serve and do everything we can when people need us the most,” said Chief Marrone. He further emphasized the importance of learning Hands-Only CPR and fostering a community of individuals equipped to be life-saving heroes in the communities we serve.
As the Heart Heroes campaign comes to closure, the Community Readiness Champions Initiative officially launched. This initiative is designed to provide essential training to residents and workers and includes Hands-only CPR/AED (Automated External Defibrillator) awareness, STOP THE BLEED®, Mental Health First Aid, and Naloxone training. The goal is to equip County residents and workers with crucial lifesaving skills needed during emergencies or disasters where emergency services may be delayed.
The LACoFD looks forward to continuing its collaboration with DPH and partners to expand offering educational opportunities, life-saving skills, and resources within the communities we serve.
