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County health officials launch push for hands‑only CPR at school and community events
Summary
Southern County Regional Health Department and Sullivan County EMS described a ‘fun face’ hands‑only CPR initiative that trained 528 people at a festival and aims to train 1,000 people at a Sept. 26 high‑school football game and additional trainings in October to boost bystander CPR rates and improve cardiac arrest survival.
Health department and EMS officials described Sept. 18 a community campaign to increase hands‑only CPR training at public events and high‑school football games.
Hannah Taylor, regional director for the Southern County Regional Health Department, said the “fun face CPR” initiative grew from the county health council and that organizers plan to train people at upcoming high‑school football games. Captain James Hubbard of Sullivan County EMS said organizers trained 528 people in hands‑only CPR at three nights of Funfest concerts and now aim to train 1,000 people at the Westridge vs. DB game on Sept. 26 and additional participants (a goal of about 70) at the Tennessee High vs. David Crockett game on Oct. 3.
Dr. Steven May, medical director for the health department, told commissioners that coronary artery disease is the county’s leading cause of death according to the community health assessment and that bystander hands‑only CPR can substantially increase survival from out‑of‑hospital cardiac arrest. “If you can keep that person going for the 6½ minutes on average that it takes our EMS to respond, then we can increase survival rates by three times,” Dr. May said at the meeting. He said the short training (about 1½ minutes using a video) is designed to make bystander intervention more likely.
Captain Hubbard and EMS officials said the initiative targets places where people gather — including concerts and sports events — so training can reach families and youth. Commissioners asked whether there is an age minimum; Captain Hubbard said organizers trained children as young as five at Funfest, noting that physical ability to deliver compressions is the practical limitation.
No county appropriation or formal action was required; the presentations served to inform the commission and solicit support for continuing the initiative at scheduled events.
