Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association

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ABOUT

The Sacramento Chapter was established in 2008 by Sudden Cardiac Arrest Survivor Mark Storace. Because of this personal experience with SCA, the chapter helps other survivors deal with their trauma.

Recognition of those who have performed "The Save" is also an important objective for the Sacramento Chapter.

The Sacramento Chapter of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association Provides CPR/AED Training to the California State Employees Association, 14^th Annual Paraeducators Conference. The Chapter trained 56 attendees.

Attendees were provided CPR Anytime Kits from the CSEA to share with coworkers, family and friends. Paraeducators were grateful for the training and many thought this was the best class offered at the conference. Attendee Janice from Napa Valley Unified School District said, “This was the most interesting workshop I attended. The greatest difference we can make in any person’s life (young or old) is the difference between life or death.” This is the second training session Mark Storace and Alton Tate have provided for classified school employees through the California School Employees Association.

Fundraisers aimed at getting life-saving Automatic External Defibrillators inside of schools will be held in coming weeks.

Corinne Ruiz, along with the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association, will host a car wash Saturday at the Sonic Drive-In on White Lane and Ashe Road. All proceeds will go to raising money for AED placement in the schools and to get a local SCAA chapter started in Bakersfield.

Ruiz's daughter, Olivia Hoff, died six years ago at age 14 of sudden cardiac arrest. She suffered, without anyone's knowledge, from Long QT Syndrome, a heart disorder that silently kills thousands each year.

After her death, it became Ruiz's goal to inform as many people as possible about heart syndromes affecting kids and also get AEDs -- a device that helps increase chances of survival during sudden cardiac arrest -- in schools throughout Kern County.

Recently, she donated an AED to Rosedale Middle School, where Olivia once attended. Rosedale became one of the first (and possibly the first) public schools in Kern to have one on campus. The goal is to get two more AEDs in schools this year.

A poker tournament will also take place at 5 p.m. Nov. 6 at 18355 Buckaroo Court. Proceeds from donations and a raffle will go toward cardiac training and AED placement in local schools.

A golf tournament is being planned for the spring. More information: cvr@bak.rr.com or 589-5307

It was a heart that led her to befriend the new girl in school who ate alone during lunch and the disabled student others made fun of. It was a heart that said "I love you" at just the right time.

That heart, however, gave out suddenly six years ago -- at age 14. Olivia died in her sleep of sudden cardiac arrest.

Like many victims, Olivia and her family knew nothing about Long QT Syndrome, a heart disorder that silently kills thousands nationwide every year.

The Sacramento Chapter of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association provided CPR and AED Awareness Training to the California School Employee Association Maintenance and Operations Annual Conference

This year, CSEA’s Maintenance & Operations Skills Development Academy was held at the Sacramento Convention Center Aug. 5-7, following the union's 84th Annual Conference.

Mark Storace, SCAA Sacramento Chapter President, and Alton Tate, SCAA Chapter Member and Rocklin City Firefighter, provided hands on training utilizing the CPR Anytime kits. CPR Anytime kits were provided to all those in attendance

Through CSEA. The Classes were 1 hour long and covered CPR basics, AED Awareness Training, Chain of Survival and AHA Standards for CPR.

SCAA Sacramento Chapter in a joint effort with the HeartSafe Program, Cardiac Science, and St Jude Medical donate AEDs to local high schools

Stockton, CA cardiologist Dr. Ramin Manshadi addressed a gathering of high school coaches, administrators and medical professionals, and handed out automatic external defibrillators to representatives from Stagg, Edison, Chavez, Franklin, Lincoln, St. Mary's, Bear Creek and his alma mater, Elk Grove High Schools. The portable devices will be placed in an accessible location at each high school, and personnel will be trained to operate them.

Mark Storace Sr., SCAA Sacramento Chapter leader, went into sudden cardiac arrest about two years ago while jogging on a treadmill. He said he was saved because an Emergency Medical Technician used an AED on him about six minutes after he was stricken. He is quoted in the article as saying " the only thing that saved my life was defibrillation."

Celebrating heroes and a survivor

Only about five percent of people who experience sudden cardiac arrest outside of a hospital survive, and Gene Enright is one of them. A ceremony on January 16 celebrated his survival and honored the people who made it possible.

When Enright collapsed at Murieta Health Club last November during his workout, staff members reacted quickly. They called for help, performed CPR, and used the health club's portable defibrillator to deliver an electrical shock to revive him. When emergency personnel arrived minutes later, Enright was breathing and his heart was beating again.

Staff members Robert Asuncion, Lisa Bonaci, Lisa Ward and Darlene Delmore were recognized for their efforts during a ceremony at the Rescue Training Institute in Rancho Cordova. The institute provides the Murieta Health Club staff with on-going training in CPR and use of the automated external defibrillator.

In his presentation, Greg Landin, president of the institute and a captain/parmedic in the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District, referred to their actions and the response of Fire Station 58 and 59 crews as "a chain of survival."

"This is huge. ... It is a team effort. We practiced that in class. Everybody played a role," Landin said. "CPR doesn't necessarily save lives. It does in conjunction with an AED. Defibrillation is the key. It's the treatment to the problem. And the problem is sudden cardiac arrest."

Enright attended the ceremony with his wife, Isabel. They thanked the staff members and visited. Enright brought them up to date on his medical condition, saying he'd had six bypasses to address his heart problem.

During his stay at UC Davis Medical Center, the couple celebrated both of their 75th birthdays and their 54th wedding anniversary, all of which occur on the same day.

A tall, lean man, Gene Enright has always been physically active. He was a Golden Gloves champion in his youth, and ran marathons after he turned 50. He typically worked out at the health club three times a week.

He had no symptoms before his collapse, and has no memory of it.

Mark Storace Sr, a cardiac arrest survivor and president of the Sacramento chapter of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association, spoke at the ceremony, and presented Enright with a survivor's pin, saying, "It puts you into an exclusive club."

Afterwards, Storace compared notes with Enright, and assured him he'll be able to resume his active lifestyle.

TCSLINKTONEWS[14982,Sacramento's 2008 Activities,,_blank]

MEETING DETAILS

The Sacramento Chapter holds quarterly meetings at various locations across the Greater Sacramento Area including Placer and Eldorado counties. Please contact us for exact meeting times and locations.

CONTACT

Mark A. Storace
5301 Brandon Dr
Rocklin, CA 95765
(916) 801-5494
SacramentoSCAA@Yahoo.com
storace@starstream.net

Fundraisers aimed at getting life-saving Automatic External Defibrillators inside of schools will be held in coming weeks.