Media contact: Keith Paul
Regional Communications Director
keith.paul@redcross.org | 702-400-7680
SALT LAKE CITY (Oct. 15, 2026) — With World Restart a Heart Day tomorrow, Oct. 16, the American Red Cross of Utah is urging Utahns to learn CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED), skills that could help save someone’s life during a cardiac emergency. A new national Red Cross survey found that only one in four adults feels very confident they could respond if someone collapsed in front of them.
The survey, conducted earlier this year, found that 80% of adults believe CPR and AED training is very important, but fear of making a mistake and lack of training are among the biggest barriers to taking action during a cardiac emergency.
“In a cardiac emergency, the first person who can help is rarely a medical professional,” said Benjamin Donner, Executive Director of the American Red Cross Central and Southern Utah Chapter. “It’s often a family member, friend, coworker or bystander. Learning CPR and how to use an AED can give people the confidence to step in and help before paramedics arrive.”
World Restart a Heart Day is observed annually on Oct. 16 during National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month. The day raises awareness about the importance of CPR and encourages people to learn how to recognize and respond to cardiac emergencies.
How to Recognize Cardiac Arrest and Respond
Sudden cardiac arrest happens when the heart stops beating or can no longer pump blood effectively. Unlike a heart attack, which happens when blood flow to the heart is blocked, cardiac arrest can cause someone to collapse, lose consciousness and stop breathing normally. It can happen to anyone, even people who appear healthy.
If someone collapses, is unresponsive and isn’t breathing normally or is only gasping, the Red Cross recommends taking these steps:
When someone goes into cardiac arrest, the people nearby may be their best chance of survival. CPR helps keep blood flowing until help arrives, while an AED can deliver a shock to help the heart return to a normal rhythm. Using both can greatly improve a person’s chances of surviving.
Learn Lifesaving Skills Through the Red Cross
The American Red Cross offers CPR, AED and first aid training through in-person classes, online courses and blended learning options that combine online instruction with hands-on practice. Participants learn how to recognize cardiac emergencies, perform CPR and use an AED. To find a class, visit redcross.org/takeaclass.
The Red Cross of Utah also offers free Hands-Only CPR presentations for schools, businesses, community groups and religious organizations. These presentations teach chest compressions without rescue breaths, helping people learn how to respond when someone experiences cardiac arrest. To request a presentation, visit rdcrss.org/3KdoALo.
The free Red Cross First Aid app provides step-by-step guidance for common emergencies, including CPR and AED use. Download the app by searching “American Red Cross” in app stores or visiting redcross.org/apps.
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members, and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.
