If you do, consider your self lucky. Few victims of sudden cardiac arrest receive CPR and defibrillation (the process in which an electronic device gives an electric shock to the heart) in time to be effective.

Several factors contribute to this dismal statistic: poor recognition of the signs and symptoms of a cardiac event, delaying the call for help, not providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation until emergency medical personnel arrive, and not having access to an AED.

This year, more than a half-million Americans will die from cardiovascular disease. Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the United States. Women suffer over half of all heart attacks in the nation, a number that has steadily increased since 1984. About 50 to 64 percent of victims who died suddenly had no previous symptoms.

Today, there are about 16 million adults alive with a history of heart attack, angina pectoris (chest pain or discomfort caused by reduced blood flow to the heart muscle) or both.

In order to save lives, it is essential to perform high quality CPR and integrate early defibrillation within a few minutes of sudden cardiac death. Learning how to provide CPR and to use an AED could significantly reduce mortality due to cardiovascular disease in any community. That is why leaders from the Installation Safety Management Office, the Fire and Emergency Services, Detrick Center for Training and Education Excellence and Barquist Army Health Clinic are working hard to ensure that AEDs are placed appropriately throughout the installation and that personnel received adequate training to operate and maintain them through the Public Access to Defibrillation Program.

The PAD Program includes AED placement, CPR and AED training, proper equipment maintenance and quality improvement plans and integration with the Emergency Medical Services System. This program ensures that sudden cardiac arrest victims have the best odds possible of surviving.

As a partner of this PAD program, the DCTEE located in 1520 Porter St., provides training in CPR every month. Courses are tailored to meet the needs of anyone, from the layperson to the professional rescuer or healthcare provider. Class schedules are posted on the website at http:⁄⁄www.detrick.army.mil⁄dctee⁄training.cfm.

To apply for any course complete a Standard Form 182 and fax it to DCTEE at (301) 619-2884 or DSN 343-2884 or mail to 1520 Porter St. by the registration deadline. Course descriptions and target audiences are listed in the Medical Training section of the DCTEE webpage. For more information, call or email Agustin Hernandez at (301) 619-3313 or Agustin.Hernandez@amedd.army.mil.