American Heart Association, Indianapolis International Airport to implement first-of-its-kind cardiac emergency response plan
CPR and AED training will protect more than 10.5 million passengers annually
INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 18, 2025 —More than 10.5 million passengers and 11,000 employees will be better protected and more prepared at the Indianapolis International Airport (IND) thanks to a first-of-its-kind cardiac emergency response plan (CERP) developed and implemented by the Indianapolis Airport Authority in conjunction with the American Heart Association, a global force changing the future of health for all. A CERP is a written plan that prioritizes early recognition of cardiac emergencies, prompt defibrillation and effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) through trained responders and clearly defined protocols.
Beginning this month, the Indianapolis Airport Authority will begin providing free training to all employees and tenants to recognize a cardiac emergency, activate the emergency system and perform CPR. The training will also ensure that employees across the 7,700-acre IND campus and its further airport system in the metropolitan area know how to use one of the 70 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) on site and can implement a formal plan for responding to cardiac emergencies. And the impact goes beyond the airport—once employees and tenants receive this training, they carry those life-saving skills into the community, helping to build a more prepared and resilient public.
The CERP developed by the airport is not only the first of its kind for an airport in the U.S., and represents the largest CERP developed by the American Heart Association.
“The American Heart Association is committed to saving lives and has been a leader in CPR efforts for decades,” said Terri Ruff, president of the Heart Association’s Indianapolis board of directors. “When NFL player Damar Hamlin experienced sudden cardiac arrest on the football field several years ago, the nation witnessed how a well-practiced cardiac emergency response plan saved his life. We want every school, every business, every organization to be prepared to respond to cardiac emergencies as we create a Nation of Lifesavers. We’re thrilled to be able to put a plan like this in place at the Indianapolis airport.”
In addition to implementing the components of the CERP, the airport will use this opportunity to share “stop the bleed” training with its employees - a national awareness campaign that teaches individuals how to recognize and respond quickly to life-threatening bleeding emergencies.
“Developing a CERP with the American Heart Association is one more tool to help us keep every passenger, employee and visitor at the airport safe 24 hours a day,” said Fred Pervine, Chief of the Indianapolis International Airport Fire Department. “This effort reflects the IND public safety team’s deep commitment to preparation, training, and having the right equipment in hand. It’s about empowering our entire airport community with life-saving skills—from our own staff to thousands of tenant employees like those at FedEx. We’re grateful to Indiana University Health for delivering the high-quality training that makes this possible.”
Immediate CPR is a critical step in the chain of response to a sudden cardiac arrest, circulating oxygen through the body until EMS arrives. At IND, 70% of the department’s calls are medical calls with an average response time of six minutes or less 90% of the time. The IAA’s public safety teams have consistently achieved a survival rate of over 60%, which significantly surpasses the national average.
Those critical first minutes of CPR can double or triple a person’s chance of survival. When an automated external defibrillator (AED) is also used, the chance of survival increases even more.
The American Heart Association launched Nation of Lifesavers with a goal of doubling the survival of cardiac arrest by 2030.
Earlier this year, the Association led lobbying efforts at the Indiana statehouse to pass a law requiring all schools in the state to develop CERPs that will include plans for extracurricular activities such as sporting events, marching band contests and more. The Association shared resources with schools so plans could be in place this school year. The initiative at the airport is the next step to building a Nation of Lifesavers.