City of Pittsburgh & UPMC Announce Partnership to Educate and Empower Community in Emergencies
By: Staff Report
In an emergency, minutes matter. From calling 911, to knowing how to perform chest compressions or how to use a tourniquet, to clearing a path for emergency professionals, even the most basic education can save lives and improve outcomes in the critical minutes before first responders arrive. Minutes Matter, a new partnership between UPMC and the City of Pittsburgh, provides community members access to basic emergency information and education about life-saving interventions.
At the scene of most accidents, health emergencies, natural disasters or other crises, bystanders are usually the first people on the scene until trained emergency professionals arrive. Learning simple, easy-to-understand emergency skills empowers bystanders to provide critical help during these life-threatening and highly stressful situations.
“Pittsburgh has long been a leader in public health matters, largely due to the partnerships we have long had with leading institutions like UPMC. Minutes Matter takes this one step further by reaching out to our city’s greatest resource – our residents,” Mayor William Peduto said.
This effort, launching February 2, will drive awareness around critical emergency information and live-saving interventions, directing people to https://minutesmatterpgh.com. From cardiac events to bleeding to overdoses, the information provided will help people be more prepared in an emergency, as well as help them to better understand the various ways in which their actions could make a difference. For those who want to go beyond basic education, the effort will also include a calendar of local trainings and events, and the ability for community organizations to submit their events to be added. Other partners in this initiative include the Pittsburgh Penguins and Pittsburgh Steelers.
“At the onset of many emergencies, some simple actions by those nearby make all the difference, allowing EMS and hospital teams to help those in distress. These actions are easy, and we want to empower our friends and neighbors by teaching them how to be that first responder. We are proud to partner with the City to spread this important ability. Minutes matter in emergencies, and we believe this partnership will make the difference between life and death,” said Donald M. Yealy, M.D., chair of emergency medicine at UPMC.
The skills courses and events are open to the public. City of Pittsburgh residency is not required. For additional information, visit https://minutesmatterpgh.com.
