Overview: An exciting companion program of the Firefighter Combat Challenge (FCC), the National Quality CPR Challenge celebrates America’s First Responders, EMT’s and Paramedics in their vital support of CPR and emergency cardiac resuscitation.  Organized in two and five minute competitions within groups of Paramedics, EMT’s and First Responders, the FCC Quality CPR Challenge features side-by-side competitors administering CPR to training manikins – while their compression rates and depths are measured and recorded in relation to 2005 American Heart Association CPR Guidelines on state-of-the-art AED/CPR equipment. All competitors will receive Tee shirts and CPR Challenge Pins. Awards will be presented to the winners in each category including: trophies, iPods, certificates and Pocket CPR Trainers.

National CPR Challenge Outline: Regional CPR Quality Challenges are scheduled for Lowell, MA, Seattle, WA, San Diego, CA and Milwaukee, WI – culminating at the end of the tour with the selection of “National CPR Quality Champion” at the FCC Nationals Competition in Atlanta, GA in October 2007.

Quality CPR Background: The 2005 American Heart Association (AHA) Guidelines emphasize the importance of performing high quality CPR to improve the outcomes from sudden cardiac arrest. Evidence shows that chest compression rates of a minimum of 100 compressions per minute and compression depths within the range of 1½ and 2 inches significantly enhance CPR quality and event outcomes. The FCC CPR Quality Challenge is designed to help rescuers train to deliver higher quality and more effective CPR by measuring chest compression rates and depths in relation to 2005 AHA Guidelines.