02/12/2026
Great information from the Grand Chute Fire Department.
Good heart health begins with the choices we make every day ❤️
Small habits add up to a lifetime of wellness. Read more below!
❤️ KEEP THE HEART RED! ❤️
Learning the difference between cardiac arrest and heart attack (Spoiler: They are NOT the same!)
A cardiac arrest can strike anyone, anywhere, at any age, often without warning. It’s not the same as a heart attack, although both are medical emergencies.
🔌Cardiac arrest is an "electrical" problem: The heart goes into an erratic rhythm, cannot pump blood and stops beating entirely. The person has collapsed, is unresponsive, has no pulse, and is making gasping sounds or is not breathing. Without intervention, brain cells can start to die within minutes.
🚿A heart attack is a "plumbing" problem: The heart’s blood flow is slowed / blocked, but the heart keeps beating. The person is usually conscious, has a pulse, and is short of breath. If blood flow isn’t restored quickly, that part of the heart begins to die. A heart attack can lead to cardiac arrest, but they are both different.
WHAT TO DO:
If you see someone in cardiac arrest, don't wait for someone else to act. Call 9-1-1, shout for an AED, then start CPR right way. Use an AED as soon as one is available.
If you or someone you are with may be having a heart attack, call 9-1-1. The dispatcher will provide instructions, but try to say calm and keep the person in a resting position either sitting or lying down. If the person becomes unresponsive use an AED and start CPR.
BE PREPARED:
👉 GCFD offers free Hands Only CPR and AED classes to groups of 4 or more. Get 3 or more of your family, friends, or co-workers together and contact us to set up a class for you!
👉 Look around places that you frequent and try to spot AED locations. This may be places like schools, employers, and retail businesses.
👉 Help us raise awareness! Snap a 📷 with your nearest AED defibrillator to help raise awareness of where these lifesaving devices are located in our area. Post your picture in the comments!
To bring awareness to how many people are affected by heart health, both GCFD fire stations have lit up a red heart outside. When we respond to a call of a heart attack or cardiac arrest one of the bulbs will be changed to a dark purple. This is meant as a reminder that when cardiac muscle dies it turns a dark purplish-black color. That will never turn back.
# HandsOnlyCPR