City of Rochester Receives Heart Safe Community Designation

The City of Rochester has received the Heart Safe Community designation, recognizing the community's commitment to improving cardiac emergency preparedness and reducing deaths and disabilities associated with sudden cardiac arrest. 

The Heart Safe Community designation is a program supported by the American Heart Association, Minnesota Department of Health and other statewide partners. The program aims to increase survival rates from sudden cardiac arrest by helping communities assess their emergency preparedness, identify opportunities for improvement and strengthen resources that make their communities safer places to live, work and visit. 

Communities earn the designation by meeting criteria based on population size and accumulating points known as "heartbeats." Points are awarded for initiatives such as CPR training, public awareness programs, automated external defibrillator (AED) placement and mapping, access to rapid emergency services and activities that promote heart health. 

Rochester earned the designation through a collaborative effort involving the City of Rochester, Mayo Clinic, Olmsted Medical Center, Rochester Fire Department, Rochester Police Department, Rochester Public Schools and other community partners. 

Together, these organizations demonstrated Rochester's commitment to cardiac emergency preparedness through CPR education and training, access to AEDs, rapid emergency response and high-quality cardiac care. Partners also worked to identify AED locations throughout the community and document existing programs and resources that support improved outcomes for people experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. 

"Rochester is proud to be a community that values health, well-being and looking out for one another," said Mayor Kim Norton. "This designation reflects our commitment to ensuring people have the knowledge and resources to respond in an emergency and to making Rochester an even safer and healthier place to live, work and visit." 

About the Heart Safe Community Designation 

The Heart Safe Community designation recognizes municipalities, counties and organizations that demonstrate a commitment to improving cardiac emergency preparedness. The program encourages communities to expand CPR training, improve access to AEDs and strengthen emergency response systems. 

Statewide partners include the Minnesota Resuscitation Consortium at the University of Minnesota, Allina Health EMS Heart Safe Communities Program, North Memorial Heart Safe Communities Program and other organizations dedicated to improving cardiac arrest survival rates. 

There is no fee to apply for the designation, although communities may incur costs related to CPR training, equipment and AED placement. 

About Sudden Cardiac Arrest 

Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when the heart unexpectedly stops beating effectively, preventing blood from flowing to the brain and other vital organs. A person experiencing sudden cardiac arrest typically collapses, becomes unresponsive and is not breathing normally. Immediate CPR and use of an AED can significantly improve the chances of survival. 

To learn more about the Heart Safe Community designation, including applications and resources, visit health.state.mn.us/diseases/cardiovascular/tools/heartsafe.html. 

For information about free CPR training resources, visit learnCPRnow.org.