Knowing that the rate of survival after a cardiac arrest/heart failure is only 2-5%, the city aimed for a radical improvement of those statistics by training the entire population of Montbard to use the defibrillators – stressing that this training was particularly important for families with at-risk patients. They also taught basic first aid training that included Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). In too many cases, waiting for the paramedics to arrive, can be too late. This intervention, does not, however, replace the paramedics. It’s best seen compared to fire extinguishers: Just like fire extinguishers help put out fires until fireman arrive, the defibrillators make it possible to help the survival of the patient until paramedics arrive.

Other cities in France have since followed suit and have begun CPR and defibrillator training as well as placed similar kits in their cities..

Heart Attack Facts
1. The chances of survival after a heart failure decrease by 7 to 10 % each minute.
2. When the witness has access to a defibrillator quickly and is trained, the rate of survival is 50 %.
3. Chewing an uncoated aspirin right away, at the first sign of chest discomfort or distress, can reduce the amount of damage to the heart muscle during a heart attack.
4. Studies show the most common time for a heart attack to occur is Monday morning. Saturday morning ranks second. Another common time is during the early morning hours, when blood platelets are stickier.
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Lulu Lundi*- features Lulu, our favorite Boston Terrier somewhere in France every Monday.