As a manufacturer of life safety products and pressure gauges commonly used on respiratory equipment, we would like to acknowledge this important week October 20-26th, as it is Respiratory Care Week.
History of AARC and Respiratory Care Week
The American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) has roots leading back to 1943, where Edwin R. Levine, MD established an inhalation therapy program using on-the-job trained technicians to manage post-surgical patients at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago. It wasn’t until 1946 that the group of students and other doctors began the Inhalation Therapy Association (ITA).
40 years later in 1983, US President, Ronald Regan issued a proclamation declaring the last full week in October as National Respiratory Therapy Week, as a means to raise awareness about respiratory illnesses and how affect nearly 18 million Americans and cause nearly 70,000 deaths each year, many of which are the direct result of cigarette smoking.
As modern medicine changed and the association grew, the organization name ITA changed several times until 1986, when the group became today’s American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC). Since then, the AARC has made it their mission to inform the public and shine a spotlight on the efforts made to reduce devastating lung conditions like asthma and COPD.
AARC as a Resource
The AARC website encourages and promotes professional excellence that advances the science and practice of respiratory care and serves as a resource for patients, their families, the public dealing with respiratory issues. http://www.aarc.org/resources/
The AARC provides several resources to help individuals and professionals stay informed about and help educate individuals and medical professionals about respiratory care, and all resources are free.
MIJA is regularly referring to the AARC website and newsletters to stay up to date with industry news. As an industry-leading life safety production manufacturer, we want to align with the needs and concerns of those in the AARC from both a patent and clinician standpoint. If you have questions regarding MIJA’s Critical Alert family of products as they pertain to Respiratory Care, our relationship with the AARC, or the capabilities of our gauges, give us a call today or reach out via our contact form!
AARC and Social Media
The AARC has a hashtag they would like those in social media posts! If you plan on posting about the Respiratory Care week this year, be sure to tag #RCWEEK19 and include @aarc.org.