Department of Public Safety

In addition to being designated as Black History Month, the month of February is also regarded as American Heart Month. Did you know that heart disease is still the No. 1 killer of women? Heart disease takes the life of one in three women each year. City employees have the opportunity to help fight heart disease by wearing red on Feb. 4, National Wear Red Day, and increasing awareness in others about the risk of heart disease in women. 

Go Red For Women is the American Heart Association's nationwide movement that celebrates the energy, passion and power women have to band together and wipe out heart disease.   For all the details about this initiative, visit http://www.GoRedForWomen.org .

Heart Attack Warning Signs

Some heart attacks are sudden and intense, but most of them start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Here are signs that can mean a heart attack is happening:

• Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath. This feeling often come along with chest discomfort. But it can occur with or without chest discomfort.
• Other signs. These may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

If you or someone you're with has one or more of these signs, call 9-1-1 -- get to the hospital right away.

For more information, go online at http://www.americanheart.org .