BANGOR – The American Heart Association recently presented the Eastern Maine Healthcare Training Center with the American Heartsaver Award for Maine for its efforts to strengthen the “chain of survival” in northeastern Maine.

Staff Developer Jan Byard and registered nurses Pret Bjorn, Sue Vernon and Deb Thomas accepted the award on behalf of the staff at Eastern Maine Helathcare.

The award honors people who have helped save a life by performing CPR or using an automated external defibrillator. It also honors organizations that work to strengthen the four critical steps of the chain of survival – early access to emergency care, early CPR, early defibrillation and early advanced care. Only one winner was chosen in Maine.

Eastern Maine Healthcare provides CPR and AED training to the community that works to bring public access defibrillation programs into local high schools, teaches monthly pediatric course for parents and day care workers, and provides weekly CPR and AED courses taught at dentists’ and doctors’ offices. To learn more about the training programs, call 973-7317.