American Heart Association Awards Hands-Only™ CPR Training Kits to City of Duluth; Training Starts Soon, Register Here

I learned CPR using a hands-only CPR kit.  I got it when I was a Go Red for Women participant.  It's such important knowledge to carry with you.  The few minutes you take to learn the proper way to administer CPR can give someone extended life with their friends and loved ones.  Just think, that loved one might be one of your own!  Want to learn?

Congratulations to the City of Duluth, just one of five cities that have been chosen by the American Heart Association and Cities of Service, a bi-partisan coalition of more than 180 mayors committed to using citizen service to address pressing local needs, to receive 500 CPR Anytime Kits (or Hands-Only™ CPR training kits) to help turn more of their residents into lifesavers.

The plan is to train 3000 Duluth citizens with this grant.    Duluthians will learn to act as first responders in cardiac arrest emergencies. Mayor Don Ness and Superintendent of Duluth Schools, Bill Gronseth were among the first to be trained.

The Mayor encourages as many Duluthians to join him in taking the pledge to learn hands-only CPR.  He says, "the more knowledgeable we are, the better prepared we will be."

The hope is that the mayor’s office will partner with local medical professionals and emergency responders to train volunteers to use the lifesaving Hands-Only CPR technique. The volunteers, who are trained by professionals then teach CPR to at least five other residents, vastly improving a community’s ability to respond to sudden cardiac emergencies.

Citizens will have the opportunity to be trained on the Hands-Only CPR Kits through a variety of outreach activities, including:

• Free monthly trainings by the Duluth Fire Department at neighborhood community clubs
• Open training sessions at large-scale community events
• Invitation to service groups, businesses, faith communities and other community organizations to schedule a training
• Coordination with the Duluth Public Schools for middle and high school students to be trained through the health curriculum

Trainings take no more than 30 minutes per session. Citizens are invited to register for an upcoming class or to request a training session for their organization by visiting.