San Diego Project Heart Beat (SDPHB) is a program close to Rob Hoadley’s heart — literally. The Point Loma resident, whose life was saved when he collapsed as a result of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) at the Bahia Hotel last year, is now one of the most avid spokespersons for the organization dedicated to increasing access to automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) and CPR training throughout the San Diego. “Having a second chance to appreciate life has highlighted how wonderful life really is,” said Hoadley, reflecting on the day a quick-acting co-worker and a San Diego police officer performed bystander CPR on him. “Important calendar items like graduations, birthdays, anniversaries and holidays are special, and I am elated to be part of them. However, I also [appreciate] the sacred time I get to spend with my wife, my daughters, Kristin and Laurin, beautiful flowers, sunsets, bonfires. Every day I set my feet on the side of the bed is another chapter in the miracle I have been blessed with. My mission now is to better the lives of others through the continuation of my own.” A program of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department and Rural/Metro Ambulance, SDPHB was started in 2001 with the intent to make AEDs as common as fire extinguishers in public and private venues. Since its inception, the program has helped place thousands of AEDs in places as diverse as civic buildings, libraries, airports, places of worship, schools and businesses, to name a few. Its instructors have trained thousands of people on how to perform CPR — and they will be at it again with a free, all-ages CPR and AED training aboard the flight deck of the USS Midway Museum on June 3. “SCA claims the lives of over 200,000 Americans each year, many in the prime of their lives,” said Dr. Jim Dunford, the city’s medical director. “SDPHB, the nation’s best public-access defibrillation program, trains and equips laypersons to be able to prevent the deaths of individuals too young to die.” SCA is an electrical disturbance to a heart’s rhythm. A person in SCA will become unconscious and stop breathing, making death imminent within minutes if treatment is not provided. CPR compressions — pressing hard and fast in the center of the chest — can help circulate oxygenated blood to the brain and other vital organs until defibrillation, either by a publicly placed AED or by a responding paramedic, can be administered to shock the heart into a life-sustaining rhythm.  Recognizing how to identify SCA and responding immediately with CPR and AEDs can save lives. Similar to a fire extinguisher, AEDs are rescue equipment that can be used by anyone in an emergency. They are safe to use — they will not administer a shock if not necessary — and the users of AEDs are legally protected. “My message to the public?” said Hoadley. “That’s easy: ‘What are you waiting for?’ Seriously, SCA takes a life every two minutes. With just basic CPR training and understanding of how an AED works, thousands of lives could be saved. What if I was your co-worker? Your spouse, child, mother, father? What if you were me? What are you waiting for?” The free trainings on the USS Midway will be held beginning at 11 a.m. with classes starting on the hour. The last class commences at 2 p.m. The USS Midway is located at 910 North Harbor Drive. The awareness-level lessons last about 30 minutes and are suitable for all ages. Pre-registration is recommended but not required. Groups (Scouts, sports teams, etc.) are welcome. For more information or to reserve a spot, call (619) 243-0909 or email [email protected]. For more information about obtaining an AED, visit www.sdprojectheartbeat.com. — Loralee Olejnik is a contributor to the San Diego Community Newspaper Group and a member of the San Diego Project Heart Beat team