posted November 24, 2025

PHOENIX, AZ — Nov. 24, 2025 — Air Methods’ Native Air program, in partnership with the Phoenix Fire Department, Phoenix Police Department, Arizona Grand Resort & Spa, and the American Red Cross, will conduct a high-impact drowning drill as part of the Cardiac Arrest Survival Summit (CASSummit) at the Arizona Grand. This collaborative training, scheduled for Dec. 5, is designed to demonstrate the critical importance of rapid, coordinated response in drowning emergencies.

The full-scale “full-code” scenario will feature a mock pediatric teenager drowning in the resort’s premium amenity water park, with Native Air providing helicopter support and a simulated patient requiring immediate, lifesaving care. The event brings together first responders, medical professionals, and community partners to showcase best practices in emergency response, including the use of advanced equipment like the Zoll AutoPulse for mechanical CPR—available on all Native Air aircraft throughout Arizona.

“Drowning remains a leading cause of injury-related death for children, especially those aged one to four,” said Mandy Osborne, base outreach coordinator and flight nurse for Native Air. “Arizona has some of the highest numbers of child drownings in the country. Conducting this awareness drill will help bring light to the urgent need for prevention, education, and seamless teamwork among emergency agencies.”

The training will emphasize:

• The necessity of rapid intervention and agency coordination in water emergencies.
• Hands-on demonstrations of CPR and drowning prevention strategies.
• Demonstrations of the Zoll AutoPulse, showcasing consistent, high-quality chest compressions during emergency transports.
• The role of advanced air medical resources in improving patient outcomes.

Native Air’s commitment to community safety extends beyond this event. The team regularly partners with local EMS and hospitals to deliver educational trainings, ensuring that when seconds count, every link in the chain of survival is strong and responsive.

The CASSummit, hosted by the Citizen CPR Foundation from Dec. 3 – 6, is the world’s largest conference devoted to stimulating communities to take action to reduce deaths from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and to drive more citizens to learn CPR, how to use an AED, and to achieve more widespread availability of AEDs. This year’s theme is “Seconds to Act—Empowering the Response to Cardiac Arrest and Life-Threatening Emergencies,” and the summit will feature over 200 experts covering all aspects of lifesaving techniques and care.

“Drowning happens silently and in seconds, but it’s almost always preventable with constant, arms-reach supervision whenever children are near water,” said Captain Rob McDade, Public Information Officer with The Phoenix Fire Department. “Layers of protection — isolation pool fences with self-closing, self-latching gates, secured doors, and blocked pet doors — buy parents the extra time needed to keep kids safe.” 

Registration for CASSummit 2025 is open now. For more information, visit citizencprsummit.org.