The Renton Fire & Emergency Services Department provided more than 7,000 screenings during Renton Heart Month 2011, an annual citywide campaign to provide heart healthy information
The City Council received a briefing on the campaign at its meeting Monday.
From those roughly 7,000 screenings, firefighters identified 860 individuals with high blood pressure and over 200 with high blood sugar readings. Both are serious conditions that if left untreated greatly increase a person’s chances of having a heart attack or stroke or developing diabetes.
The campaign was spearheaded by the Renton Fire & Emergency Services Department. During February firefighters were out in the community providing free blood pressure and blood sugar screenings when they weren’t responding to emergency calls. Collectively they were able to increase the number of people contacted during the month by almost 60 percent over last year’s efforts.
“The fire department is dedicated to this program because we know it works,” said Mark Peterson, Fire Chief/Emergency Services Administrator. “Once people know they are at risk, they can work with their physician and get started reducing their risk and start living a more heart healthy life style.”
The city relies on strong community support to make the program successful. Local businesses provided space for the free screenings. This year, the city also partnered with Valley Medical Center, which hosting a Red Dress Fashion Show and Tea at the Tea Palace in Renton. More than 250 women attended the event and received free screenings while enjoying heart healthy snacks and learning more about women’s heart health issues.
The Renton Senior Activity Center provided numerous occasions for screenings to community members and also hosted several educational workshops such as the importance of exercise and diet for good heart health and how to perform cardio pulmonary resuscitation.
For more information on Renton Heart Month or to learn more about the prevention of heart attacks, call 425-430-7000 or visit rentonwa.gov.
