Chicago -- The nation's largest convention center, McCormick Place, has received certification of its emergency-response program aimed at people suffering heart attacks.
McCormick Place is the first meeting facility certified by CR Certification Corporation through the company's CardioReady program, which promotes American Heart Association guidelines for protecting guests and employees at hotels and other meeting facilities from sudden cardiac arrest.
"We are proud that McCormick Place is the first convention facility in the country to implement the use of automated external defibrillators," said Leticia Peralta Davis, chief executive of the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, which owns and operates McCormick Place. "The certification of McCormick Place as CardioReady acknowledges our ongoing commitment to client safety and health."
McCormick Place currently has 62 automated external defibrillators available for public access located throughout the facility. More than 250 safety officers, managers, trades people, and tenants combined have been trained to use the defibrillators and certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Requirements for receiving certification include medical supervision, strategic placement in facilities of automated external defibrillators, trained staff, documented equipment testing and maintenance programs, coordination with local emergency-response entities, and compliance with government regulations.
CardioReady-certified facilities will be identified throughout the OnVantage Marketplace for Meetings, a meetings-venue online search engine that is accessible via several websites, including mimegasite.com. OnVantage is a partner with CR Certification Corporation in the CardioReady program.