Local emergency rooms unite to share lifesaving skills

HCA Florida Healthcare’s three freestanding emergency rooms — HCA Florida Tamiami Trail Emergency (Port Charlotte), HCA Florida Venice Doctors Emergency (Venice) and HCA Florida Wellen Park Emergency (Venice) — recently came together to host a free CPR class for over 100 community members, giving participants the chance to learn hands-on, life-saving techniques from emergency care experts.

The event gave participants the chance to learn how to recognize the signs of cardiac arrest, perform chest compressions, and use an automated external defibrillator (AED). With guidance from emergency care experts, community members left feeling more confident in their ability to take action if faced with a medical emergency.

According to the American Heart Association, hands-only CPR can double or even triple a person’s chance of survival. In fact, more than 350,000 lives are saved each year in the United States thanks to bystander CPR.

“This collaboration shows the heart of our emergency rooms,” said George Ruggiero, DO, chief medical officer at HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital. “We’re not just here in times of crisis, but also to prepare and empower our community. Teaching CPR is one of the simplest yet most powerful ways to save lives, and we’re proud to see so many people eager to learn.”