History & Mission

Every year in the US, there are just under 400,000 cases of cardiac arrest that occur outside of a hospital setting. According to the 2018 report from the American Heart Association, the national survival rate for such cases is 10.8% (Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics - 2018).

In the early 2000’s, the survival rate for these cases in the city of Detroit was historically low at <1% (Outcomes - 2006). The local medical community responded by making conscientious efforts to educate and empower citizens to recognize and respond to these events, and in the years since that number has jumped to over 6% (Improvement - 2018). Although we’re happy with the progress that’s been made, our local medical students and healthcare professionals are dedicated to the continued improvement of Detroit’s out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rate.

As a result, First Aid First was founded in 2017 by physicians at Detroit Receiving Hospital and medical students at the Wayne State University School of Medicine to empower members of the Detroit community to respond during real life medical emergencies. By providing free, lifesaving training on CPR, AED use, and other basic emergency response skills, First Aid First prepares citizens to respond quickly and effectively to help save lives.