Even though sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a preventable and treatable condition, most victims die because they do not receive effective help quickly enough. To survive SCA, it is critical for the victim to receive immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and treatment with a defibrillator within five minutes. Since even the best EMS responders cannot always get to the victim in time (typical EMS response times are seven to eight minutes after receipt of the 9-1-1 call), survival generally depends on the help of bystanders who witness the victim’s sudden death and intervene without hesitation.

To improve SCA survival rates, it is vital for potential bystanders to be aware that SCA is a public health crisis and that survival from SCA depends largely on bystander intervention. Lifesaving bystander actions include calling 9-1-1, giving CPR, and using an automated external defibrillator (AED).