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Minot residents and visitors will have a better chance of surviving a heart attack if an initiative currently underway gains support.

A team comprised of health and emergency professionals is organizing to make Minot a Cardiac Ready Community.

Cardiac Ready Communities is a program of the North Dakota Department of Health that encourages communities to take steps that will help citizens respond in cardiac emergencies. Research shows that survival and recovery rates improve when people:

1. Know cardiac emergency signs and symptoms.
2. Activate the 9-1-1 system
3. Begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
4. Have public access to automated external defibrillators (AEDS)

“In a cardiac event like sudden cardiac arrest, the first five minutes are the most critical,” said Erica Erck, team co-leader. “By engaging the community with the Chain of Survival – teaching CPR and getting additional AEDs out in the community – we can change outcomes for the better.”

The group took its first step March 26, hosting a pair of community stakeholder meetings for businesses and other organizations in the community.

The next steps include evaluating the community’s readiness and updating local practices and services. The final step involves a review by the State Health Department to determine whether Minot meets the criteria for Cardiac Ready designation or requires further improvement.