Press Releases

Medic will educate Mecklenburg County residents throughout the month of February on the importance of staying Heart Healthy by using a series of media-driven stories and through the Agency’s website www.medic911.com

Stories will highlight a patient reunion, educational applications for cell phones, AED donations to CMS high schools, a STEMI story with both Carolinas Healthcare System and Presbyterian and highlighting Medic’s Lucky Hearts Campaign which focuses on the importance of AED & CPR education in the community.

Week 1: February 1st - 5th

On Monday, February 1st, Medic will launch their Heart Month dedicated web pages on the Agency website - www.medic911.com

Page Topics Include:

• Learn CPR on your personal cell phone - contains CPR instruction applications for your iPhone and Blackberry
• Learn the signs and symptoms of a heart attack, stroke and cardiac arrest
• Heart Healthy Tips - what foods you should avoid
• Heart Attack Myths - find out the truth; the real way to protect yourself

Week 2: February 8th - 12th

On Monday, February 8th at 2 pm, a Medic crew will reunite with a patient who survived a cardiac arrest in November 2009. The reunion will highlight the importance of bystander CPR - which was performed by her husband, a CFD captain. In addition, CFD Station 14 will also join the reunion to help highlight the steps our agencies take when treating a patient in cardiac arrest.

On Wednesday, February 10th at 10 am, Medic along with their campaign partners Mecklenburg Medical Alliance and Endowment (MMAE) will announce the donation of AED’s to 14 CMS high schools. The Lucky Hearts Campaign has partnered with CMS to make sure that all county high schools have at least 2 AED’s on campus - one to cover athletics and one to cover the school itself. The official announcement will be made during the CMS’ monthly press conference.

Week 3: February 15th - 19th

During the third week of February, Medic will discuss the Agency’s nation-leading code STEMI protocol (pertains to rapid response and treatment for improving outcomes for heart attack victims) and the unique partnership Medic has with both Carolinas Healthcare System and Presbyterian Healthcare that makes this one of the heart friendliest counties in the country.

Each hospital system will have a physician and a cardiologist on-hand to discuss STEMI and the transfer of care from Medic to their cardiology departments.

Week 4: February 22nd - 26th

In addition to donating AED’s through the Lucky Hearts program, Medic has over 400 business AED’s registered with our dispatch system. Earlier this year, Medic mailed out more than 400 "AED Inside" stickers to all area businesses that had an AED registered with Medic.

During the fourth week of February, Medic will discuss the importance of not only having an AED but the importance of AED signage and training. Medic will highlight a couple area businesses that understand the importance of having an AED for emergencies and how placing signage throughout their business educates not only visitors, but current employees.