Cardiac Arrest Project

For many years, Portage County EMS has strived to provide the best possible care to sudden cardiac arrest victims. The County has promoted Automated External Defibrillator (AED) placement at public gathering spaces and all Emergency Medical Responders and Law Enforcement patrol units in the County carry AEDs. Our ambulances have a full line of resuscitation equipment and medications and every cardiac arrest case has Paramedic-level care provided.

A critical, but often lacking, component of cardiac arrest remains early CPR from bystanders. The American Heart Association (AHA) now encourages anyone that witnesses a cardiac arrest to call 911 and begin Hands-Only™ CPR. 

If an adult suddenly collapses and is not breathing or is not breathing normally:

• Call 911
• Push hard and fast in the center of the chest

That’s all there is to it! You could save a life. Go to the AHA website and watch a brief video on Hands-Only™ CPR.

You may also contact the American Red Cross, your local technical college, or an American Heart Association Training Center for CPR training.

Portage County EMS encourages the placement of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in places where the public can access them quickly in the event of a cardiac arrest. Download this brochure for more information about Public Access Defibrillation (PDF).

Portage County will be launching the PulsePoint Project starting in February 2019.  Here, CPR-trained citizens and responders can be immediately notified of a nearby cardiac arrest incident, and informed of the victim's location, and the location of the closest AED.

The mission of the Portage County Cardiac Arrest Survival Team is to marshal the resources of our community in a concerted fashion to promote a high level of sudden cardiac arrest survival. View this YouTube episode of Portage County Matters for more information about CAST.

A special fund has been established through the Saint Michael’s Foundation to support the efforts of the team.