What is Project Heart Start

Sudden Cardiac Arrest is a leading cause of death in the United States, taking the lives of over 350,000 people per year in the United States. Nearly 90% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests are fatal. Sudden Cardiac Arrest can happen to people of all ages, including children and teens, and even people who appear to be in good health.. Project Heart Start (PHS) is a vital initiative dedicated to saving lives by effectively teaching essential life-saving skills to the community.

Participants in this program learn to recognize the critical signs of a heart attack, perform high-quality CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), utilize an automated external defibrillator (AED), and respond appropriately to save a victim who is choking.

Since its inception, the program has successfully taught more than 50,000 people these indispensable life-saving skills.

In January 2016, the Foundation took a significant step forward by writing and advocating for a bill that the Governor signed into law, making the components of Project Heart Start a requirement for graduation from all of New Mexico’s public schools. This initiative aims to create a generation of individuals equipped with the knowledge and skills to respond to cardiac emergencies effectively.