By Terri Jo Neff |

Maricopa County families with a baby admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) will benefit from training kits that the American Heart Association will donate to teach critical infant CPR and lifesaving choking skills.

Approximately 1 out of every 10 babies in Arizona are born prematurely and are admitted to one of the state’s 27 NICU for a variety of health concerns. Maricopa County alone sees over 4,800 premature births a year, with a mortality rate of 5.4 percent.

But $400,000 allocated to Arizona from the American Rescue Plan Act will fund thousands of Infant CPR Anytime Kits, each of which includes a baby-sized mannequin to help prepare families, babysitters, and other caregivers to react in the event of a respiratory or cardiac emergency. The self-directed training takes about 20 minutes, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

“This is an important step in protecting Arizona’s babies and benefits both parents and their children,” AHA Executive Director Debra Wilson said of the donation of the kits, which are co-branded by the AHA and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Learn more about Infant CPR Anytime kits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvYoZz_MuBM&feature=youtu.be