HeartSafe Community Initiative

The City of Oakdale is working toward becoming a HEARTSafe Community. This includes a proactive approach to help protect residents and community members from sudden cardiac arrest. 

Educational Opportunities

The Oakdale Fire Department will offer several opportunities throughout the year for residents to learn hands-only CPR at no cost. These events will be held on Saturdays from 10 AM to 12 PM at Fire Station One (5000 Hadley Avenue N). 

Registration is limited to 20 people per session. Participants must be at least 10, and children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. No certification will be granted. Sessions are educational only. 

Session dates are:

  • Saturday, March 28
  • Saturday, May 30
  • Saturday, August 22
  • Saturday, November 14

Register Now

HEARTSafe Community Initiative

Every two minutes, an adult collapses from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) without warning. SCA can happen anywhere, at anytime, to anyone, and it is almost always fatal. Through the Heart Safe Community program, communities can strengthen what the American Heart Association calls the "chain of survival."

Chain of Survival

STEP 1: Early Access to Emergency Care
Bystanders recognize the symptoms of cardiac arrest and immediately call 911. Dispatchers are equipped with instructions for the caller and can get an Advanced Life Support response vehicle to the scene quickly.

STEP 2: Early CPR
CPR, when properly administered, buys precious minutes until a defibrillator is available. Public knowledge and awareness must be increased so that those trained in CPR will actually use it when necessary.

STEP 3: Early Defibrillation
Defibrillation is the delivery of an electric shock to restore the heart’s normal rhythm. Early Defibrillation is considered to be the most critical link in the chain of survival. New AEDs are light-weight, sturdy, and easy to use by anyone who has been trained.

STEP 4: Early Advanced Care
Advanced care is delivered by an Advanced Life Support response vehicle staffed by advanced care providers. Medications and oxygen therapy delivered can be critical to the survival of cardiac arrest victims.

STEP 5: Post-Cardiac Arrest Care
Integrated, multidisciplinary care for patients following cardiac arrest, both in the hospital and following discharge.

Hands Only CPR

Hands only CPR is a simplified method of CPR that requires no mouth-to-mouth breathing. It is a two-step technique that involves calling 911 and pushing hard and fast in the center of the victim's chest until help arrives.

To get involved, sign up and attend an upcoming training session (noted above), or learn at home by checking out a take-home Hands Only CPR training kit.

For more information, send an email to the Fire Marshal.