Ohio Launches Statewide Bystander Care Initiative, Every Minute Counts

Bystander Intervention is a Crucial Link in the Chain of Survival

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – The Ohio Department of Public Safety and Ohio Division of Emergency Medical Services have launched a statewide campaign called Every Minute Counts that encourages all Ohioans to learn basic bystander care.

“Sudden cardiac arrest starts a clock, and with each passing minute, the chance of survival ticks down,” said Governor DeWine. “You don’t have to be a medical professional to help. Anyone can perform hands-only CPR, which buys precious time until medics arrive.”

It can often take two minutes before bystanders realize someone is suffering a medical emergency.  Each minute that passes without bystander intervention decreases the chances of survival significantly.

The new Every Minute Counts campaign, which can be found at ems.ohio.gov/everyminutecounts, aims to educate more Ohioans about sudden cardiac arrest and how bystander intervention helps increase survivor rates.  The campaign includes social media posts debunking myths about hands-only CPR and encourages local EMS agencies to engage with their communities about the importance of bystander intervention.

“Every Ohioan has the ability to save a life,” said Andy Wilson, Director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety.  “If it was your mom, your brother, your child, any person you cared about, suffering a life-threatening medical emergency, wouldn’t you hope a bystander would step in to save them?  Hands-only CPR is easy to learn, as are other basic life-saving skills.  A 911 dispatcher can even talk you through it.”

“Sudden cardiac arrest is fatal 90% of the time, unless there is bystander intervention,” said Robert Wagoner, Executive Director of the Ohio Division of EMS.  “Depending on where you live, it could take anywhere from five minutes to a half hour for first responders to arrive.  Bystander care is a crucial first step in the chain of survival.”

“If one link in that chain of survival breaks, the person dies.  It’s just that simple,” said Dr. Justin Benoit, Chairman of the Ohio Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (Ohio CARES) and emergency physician with University of Cincinnati Medical Center.  “Sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anytime.  It happens to the sick and the healthy.  It happens to people of all ages.  Immediate hands-only CPR is key to increasing survival rates.”

Every Minute Counts also features survivor stories, including that of Canen Dickman, a sophomore at Worthington Kilbourne High School who collapsed during a summer soccer practice. His coaches responded immediately, performing CPR and using an automated external defibrillator (AED) to restore Canen’s pulse before he was transported to the hospital. Canen was a strong advocate for House Bill 47, which was signed by Governor DeWine last week to require AEDs in public and chartered non-public schools throughout the state.

Another survivor story features Kimber Perfect, an Ohioan who was walking in downtown Columbus when she suddenly collapsed.  One stranger called 911 while another stranger performed hands-only CPR.  Other bystanders guided the ambulance to her location.

“I survived and lived to tell the tale thanks to bystander participation and people jumping in,” said Perfect.  “I literally went and thanked everybody except the stranger who did compressions.  I still don’t know who he is.  My cousin said he was my guardian angel and he had somebody else to go save.”

You can watch Kimber Perfect’s story here, along with survival stories from Canen Dickman and Steve Meadows.

Director Wilson is challenging all state and local agencies and businesses throughout Ohio to offer CPR training to employees and have AEDs in visible locations that are easy to access.