CONGRESS ABSTRACT

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a worldwide cause of death . Survival remains low—around 7% globally—and many survivors experience significant neurological impairment. Numerous experiences have demonstrated that OHCA survival can be improved by strengthening the “chain of survival” and ensuring that pre-hospital care begins as early as possible. This requires increasing the number of bystanders capable of performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and ensuring rapid access to an automated external defibrillator (AED). Since 2023, a structured program aimed at providing cardioprotection to an Italian town with approximately 26,000 inhabitants ha s been implemented. The project was endorsed by the local government (Conversano Town), which supported the installation of AEDs in accessible public areas. A fundraising campaign was launched, obtaining contributions from banks, local industries, and private citizens. 52 strategically located AEDs were installed, ensuring that they can be reached within a 10-minute walk from nearly all inhabited areas. With the support of certified instructors, 400 laypersons were trained and certified in Basic Life Support and Defibrillation (BLSD), in accordance with international guidelines and the training programs of the American Heart Association and the Gruppo Intervento Emergenze Cardiologiche (GIEC). We also encouraged schools, gyms, and commercial venues to acquire their own AEDs, providing assistance when needed and helping train an adequate number of staff members. A detailed city map of all public AED locations has been created , and a dedicated mobile application is under development to help citizens locate the nearest AED quickly (verifiable at www.cuoregrande.org) A shared protocol between our volunteer organization and local institutions ensures regular maintenance of all AED units. Our organization provides periodic BLSD courses and retraining sessions, installs new AED stations, and promotes public awareness of OHCA through short educational sessions (2-hour modules) using CPR simulators. This experience allowed three people to survive OHCA. We aim to collect data in the coming years regarding cases of OHCA in which the implemented cardioprotection system has contributed to saving lives.