CPR-7 Program
The Alameda County EMS Agency is proud to have developed and maintained the CPR-7 program since 2007. CPR-7 is an initiative to train 7th Graders in Alameda County’s public school systems in CPR.
In Alameda County we know that bystanders perform CPR only 28% of the time prior to Emergency Medical Services arrival: increasing bystander involvement is critical. The bystander is the person who witnesses an event or finds a victim who is unresponsive, not breathing and appears lifeless. If a bystander calls 911 and performs CPR in the first few minutes of such an event, the victim's chance of survival increases. For every minute without CPR, a witnessed victim’s chance of survival decreases 7-10%. The County has been working on improving hospital outcomes for cardiopulmonary arrest victims throughout the County using a systems-based approach.
To increase bystander CPR, a pilot program occurred in 2007-2008. 7th and 10th graders were trained by their classroom teachers in CPR using a CPR Anytime kit. They were then asked to go home and train as many friends and family members, over the age of 12, as they could. The CPR Anytime kit has a mini Anne manikin and a “watch while learn” DVD. The pilot program revealed that 7th graders enthusiastically embraced CPR and were better equipped to train in CPR and to train others than 10th graders – The CPR-7 program was created.
Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, Alameda County EMS has worked with all 18 school districts in the County, providing teacher support and the CPR Anytime kits to 10,200 of County’s 7th graders (70% of total public 7th grade population). This innovative public health approach is making a positive difference for our citizens.
As of school year 2016-2017 school year, this program will have trained 150,000 7th graders and their friends and family members. In September of 2016, Governor Brown signed into law AB 1719 that requires for CPR to be taught in a California high school if a course in health is a graduation requirement in the school district.
Therefore, CPR 7 is being transitioned to most high schools in Alameda County. Alameda County Emergency Medical Services is supporting this new law by providing many of our school districts with reusable mini-Anne Manikins. Students will each have their own manikin in class to learn resuscitation chest compression skills. In addition to teaching materials, EMS is training school educators to teach their students in CPR.
