Heartsaver event for faculty and staff to be held on June 27

June 23, 2008

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida Student Health Care Center (SHCC) will hold a special one-day Heartsaver event for UF faculty and staff on Friday, June 27. All faculty and staff are encouraged to take advantage of two courses offered at a discounted rate, American Heart Association (AHA) Heartsaver Adult/Child Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and Heartsaver First Aid.

A recent American Heart Association survey of 1,100 adults revealed that 89 percent said they were willing and able to help in a medical emergency. However, only 21 percent were confident they could perform CPR, and only 15 percent felt comfortable using an AED in an emergency.

“Certainly we would like to see those numbers increase here at the University of Florida,” said Jon Duff, coordinator of the CPR and Safety Training Center. “We want to make our campus as safe as possible and while there are several AEDs located across campus, most non-medical faculty and staff have not been properly trained.”

The Adult/Child AED course will be held from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., and the Heartsaver First Aid class will be held from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Both classes on June 27 will be located in the CPR and Safety Training department on the second floor of Yon Hall in the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The classes are $15 each or $25 for both, and certification is good for two calendar years. These courses will be held again prior to the start of the fall semester.

Faculty and staff may register for one or both classes by calling 352-392-1161, ext. 4283 and prepaying with a Visa or Mastercard. The deadline for registration is 4:30 p.m. on June 25.