FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 25, 2013 CONTACT: Katherine McCarthy American Heart Association 518.869.4049 or Katherine.McCarthy@heart.

org Mary Rozak, Albany County Executives Office 518.368.9528 or mary.rozak@albanycounty.com

Albany County will be Saving Lives during American Heart Month

EMS first responders will demonstrate Hands-Only CPR as Albany County, local EMS, fire departments, REMO and local officials will announce free CPR trainings during the month of February Albany, New York Hearts and flowers abound in February with many thinking of Valentines Day. Albany County loves its 304,000 residents and wants to give everyone a gift that will keep on giving the ability to keep a heart beating. In 2009, heart disease killed more than 700 people in Albany County and many of those deaths could have been prevented. Thats got to change and County Executive Daniel McCoy and first responders are ready to show you how to keep hearts beating.

At a press conference TODAY, FRIDAY, JAN. 25, AT 10 A.M. AT the Watervliet Senior Center, 1541 Broadway, Watervliet, Albany County, the
Albany County Sheriffs Department, the Regional Emergency Medical Organization and the American Heart Association will announce a month-long schedule of

Hands-Only CPR trainings available to the public at no cost.

Albany County EMS first responders will demonstrate Hands-Only CPR. Theres nothing romantic about sudden cardiac arrest, said Albany County Executive Dan McCoy. When a heart stops, effective bystander CPR doubles or triples the chances of survival for the victim. Thats why all of Albany Countys first responders are coming together to offer free, community-based Hands-Only CPR trainings throughout the month of February. National data from the American Heart Association indicates that sudden cardiac arrest claims nearly 400,000 lives per year, said Albany County Commissioner of Health James B. Crucetti, MD, MPH. By offering free CPR training at different times and

locations throughout the county, more people in Albany County will have a chance to learn this lifesaving skill. As a firefighter and first responder in the city of Cohoes, I have seen firsthand how important knowing CPR is, said Albany County Legislature Chairman Shawn Morse. I have witnessed the lifesaving results of knowing this simple and vital procedure. Im alive because someone knew CPR, said John Mazur of Guilderland. If people wonder whether its worth taking 15 minute to learn CPR, I say absolutely. Its a fact that sudden cardiac arrest happens most often in the home, said Watervliet Mayor Mike Manning. By teaching the average person how to perform this life-saving skill, who knows how many lives can be saved? The trainings throughout the county will take approximately 10- 15 minutes. February is a chilly month, and this is a great way to get out, get together with friends and neighbors, and in a short period of time, learn how to save a life, said Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple. We applaud all of the first responders and Albany County for working proactively to improve the survival rates for victims of sudden cardiac arrest in Albany County, said Dan Moran, board member of the American Heart Association and president of NextAct. We have been advocating tirelessly to pass a law that would make sure every New York high school student knows CPR. We know that the more people who know CPR, the greater the survival rates. I hope every Albany County resident who doesnt know CPR will take half an hour out of a cold winter day to come learn this skill.

A schedule of CPR trainings can be found at www.albanycounty.com

About the American Heart Association The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke Americas No. 1 and No. 4 killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nations oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit www.heart.org or call any of our offices around the country