What could be more useful than learning how to save a life?

The incidence of heart disease continues to rise emphasizing the need for additional education to young people on positive choice.

For over twenty-three years grade 9 students in Niagara, through a partnership with Heart Niagara, Public Health, and each of the school boards have increased heart health awareness and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training to over 50,000 adolescents.  The program is delivered through the phys.ed curriculum as an experiential learning and enrichment program which support teachers, families and adolescents to better understand the risk of future disease.  Research demonstrate that earlier intervention is a key factor to support adolescents in making positive lifestyle choices.

Heart Niagara designed the Elementary School CPR Program to further support adolescent education in the potential risk of heart disease. CPR is a skill that the trained public uses to help save lives in cases of heart attack, enabling bystanders to provide immediate aid until EMS (911 responders) arrive.

A vital link in the Chain of Survival

- Perform external blood circulation

- Perform the Heimlich Maneuver

Specifically, the CPR course will teach your grade 7 students how to:

- Reduce the risk of heart disease

- Recognize the signs/symptoms of a heart attack

- Initiate the chain of survival

- Open the victim’s airway

The CPR program will be offered as curriculum enrichment in a 2.5 hour block. The curriculum focuses on increasing life skills on responding in case of emergency and providing age appropriate insight into lifestyle choices which will impact their heart health. 

Program tools include a parent letter, consent form and family history questionnaire to be sent home with students to promote dialogue on risk factors of heart disease and the impact on their family. The CPR training involves a half day of instruction in the classroom/gym.  Workplace fee for CPR is $45.00, however; your Grade 7 students will receive this valuable training from Heart Niagara for only $5.00 per student.

The teacher will be required to be present for the CPR Program as well as distribution and collection of consent forms and the fee.  Many schools choose to request funding through Parent Council to eliminate per student cost. Please be assured no student will be left behind; Heart Niagara will provide funding solutions if cost is a barrier.

Heart Niagara is a non-profit agency and is committed to increasing the number of CPR citizens in Niagara. Your school nurse will contact your Grade 7 teacher to book the program. Be part of the chain of survival, enabling each of us to better respond in case of emergency.

If you have any questions please contact Heart Niagara at 905-358-5552, or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .