San Diego County's Heart Safe Movement: How Schools and Neighbors Are Building a CPR-Ready Community

A CPR-ready community is built one trained person, one prepared school, and one confident neighbor at a time.

Across San Diego County, that work is gaining momentum. Schools are creating formal cardiac emergency response plans. Students are learning how to recognize cardiac arrest and begin CPR. Local health and emergency-response partners are training hundreds of thousands of residents in hands-only CPR. And on Saturday, September 26, 2026, families and neighbors will have another opportunity to learn practical emergency preparedness skills at a free community fair in San Diego.

This movement matters because cardiac emergencies do not always happen in hospitals or near medical professionals. They can happen at school, at home, in a workplace, at a gym, or on a neighborhood sidewalk. When someone nearby knows what to do, the first few minutes do not have to be left to chance.

Heart Safe Schools are turning preparedness into practice

One of the clearest examples of San Diego County's CPR momentum is the work led by Rady Children's Hospital San Diego through its affiliation with Project ADAM.

Project ADAM helps schools prepare for sudden cardiac emergencies through more than a single CPR class. A Heart Safe School works to establish:

• CPR and AED training for staff and students
• A written cardiac emergency response plan
• Clearly defined responsibilities during an emergency
• Accessible and maintained AEDs
• Regular emergency response drills
• Procedures for communication with emergency medical services and families

According to a February 2026 report from Rady Children's, all 32 campuses of the Sweetwater Union High School District recently earned the Heart Safe School designation. Around 20,000 students have also been trained in CPR over the past several months.

That number represents more than students completing a requirement. It represents thousands of young people who may now be able to recognize a cardiac emergency, call 911, locate an AED, and begin chest compressions while help is on the way.

Rady Children's describes this concept as "sidewalk CPR" — giving the next generation the ability to respond instead of simply waiting for emergency professionals to arrive. Every trained student potentially brings those skills home to a family, a sports team, a faith community, or a neighborhood.

For schools reviewing their 2026 safety goals and certification needs, the Heart Safe School model is a useful reminder: certification is strongest when it is supported by written protocols, accessible equipment, hands-on practice, and regular drills. That is exactly the kind of training I personally lead for schools and educational programs throughout San Diego County.

Revive & Survive is bringing CPR training to the broader community

Schools are only one part of the picture. Neighbors, parents, employees, caregivers, and community groups also need the confidence to respond.

The Revive & Survive San Diego Initiative was launched in January 2024 as a joint effort between the County of San Diego and UC San Diego. Its goal is to train one million people in hands-only CPR.

As reported by the San Diego County News Center, more than 750,000 people have already been trained through more than 14,000 sessions. The initiative is continuing toward its one-million-person goal.

Hands-only CPR is simple to describe: push hard and fast in the center of the chest at approximately 100 to 120 compressions per minute. Immediate CPR can double a person's chances of survival during cardiac arrest.

That does not mean every emergency feels simple in the moment. People may hesitate because they are afraid of doing something wrong, unsure whether they will remember the steps, or uncomfortable taking action around strangers. Repeated hands-on practice — the kind I provide in every class I personally lead — helps replace that hesitation with a plan.

A community becomes safer when CPR knowledge is not limited to a few designated employees or medical professionals. It becomes part of the shared skill set of ordinary people.

Upcoming event: Community Security & Emergency Preparedness Fair

Residents can learn more about local emergency preparedness resources at the Community Security & Emergency Preparedness Fair on Saturday, September 26, 2026.

The free public event will be held at:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 6767 51st St., San Diego, CA 92120

Doors open at 8:30 a.m., and the fair runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. No reservation is required, and free onsite parking is available.

The event will include:

• A 9 a.m. FBI presentation on Run, Hide, Fight
• A San Diego Police drone demonstration at 11:05 a.m.
• A fire engine available for viewing and photographs
• Hourly raffle drawings beginning at 10 a.m.
• Breakout sessions on emergency power, severe-weather preparation, evacuation planning, and general preparedness
• Information tables from SDG&E, San Diego Fire-Rescue, San Diego Police, the American Red Cross, Team Rubicon, and the City of San Diego Office of Emergency Services
• Resources related to fires, floods, earthquakes, power outages, and other emergencies

The fair is not a substitute for CPR certification, but it is a practical opportunity to connect with local organizations, ask questions, and think through how your household or workplace would respond during a crisis.

Preparedness is not only about one type of emergency. A family may need to respond to cardiac arrest, a power outage, a severe-weather event, an evacuation, or a serious injury. Building a plan for one situation often makes it easier to prepare for others.

Moving from awareness to full certification

Hands-only CPR awareness is an important starting point. Full certification adds structured practice in CPR, AED use, choking response, and first aid.

I offer professional training through American Red Cross and HSI programs, with options for individuals, families, schools, offices, childcare providers, churches, and larger organizations throughout San Diego County. I come to you — your home, workplace, school, or community space — so your group can train together without the hassle of traveling to a fixed location.

Available courses include:

• Adult, child, and infant First Aid/CPR/AED training
• Pediatric First Aid and CPR/AED
• Basic Life Support for healthcare and clinical staff
• Stop Life-Threatening Bleeding training
• Certification renewals
• Classroom-only instruction
• Blended learning with online coursework followed by hands-on skills practice

Blended learning can be especially helpful for busy organizations. Participants complete the knowledge portion online, then meet with me for practical skills training. Classroom-only courses are also available for groups that prefer a fully guided, hands-on experience from beginning to end.

For parents and caregivers searching for pediatric CPR training in San Diego, hands-on practice with me covers infant and child CPR, choking emergencies, AED use, and common first-aid situations.

For businesses, I bring all the equipment and materials directly to your workplace, school, church, or home — so your team trains together without losing time traveling to an outside facility.

Serving San Diego County and surrounding communities

I personally lead every class and come to you throughout:

• San Diego County
• Temecula
• Murrieta
• Menifee
• Lake Elsinore

Training is available for individuals and groups, with flexible scheduling that includes evenings and weekends.

Ready to strengthen your CPR plan?

The Heart Safe movement is growing because schools, public agencies, families, and neighbors are choosing to prepare before an emergency happens.

If you are looking for appointment-only CPR training, contact me by email at d.onori@codebluesafetyskills.com or call or text (951) 669-4177. When you reach out, include the specific dates you want for the class, along with your location, course preference, and approximate group size.

With the right training, more people can move from "I hope someone knows what to do" to "I know how to help."

Sources

• Rady Children's Hospital San Diego: In Case of Emergency: Rady Children's and Project ADAM Lead the Way in CPR Training in Schools
• San Diego County News Center: Free Trainings Available to Save Lives
• KPBS: Community Security and Emergency Preparedness Fair