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Bruce Sherwood, Paul Roman, Justin Cloyd and Julie Taber of the RSF Fire Protection District provided complimentary blood pressure checks on Love Your Heart Day on Feb. 14. Photo by Christina Macone-Greene
CommunityRancho Santa Fe

Fire Protection District takes part in Love Your Heart Day

RANCHO SANTA FE — While couples were celebrating Valentine’s Day, another happening on Feb. 14 was Love Your Heart Day. This annual event encourages various organizations across the nation to offer individuals a free blood pressure screening. Taking part in the day was the Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District which offered blood pressure checks at the Rancho Santa Fe Library.

“Love Your Heart Day is a countywide initiative to get out and get as many blood pressures checked as possible,” said Julie Taber, public education coordinator for the fire protection district. “So, agencies all throughout the county are out at libraries, street corners, parks, all other kinds of locations.”

Taber said earlier in the day, they were at 4S Ranch for a couple of hours. She said it was a busy day on Feb. 14 because at lunchtime, they headed back to the central station for promotions and a new hires badge-pinning ceremony.

The district stayed at the library for a few hours. 

At the library, Taber said they’d performed a number of blood pressure screenings. In fact, staff members from the Rancho Santa Fe Association took the short walk to get screened.

“We’ve had several walk-ins, so it’s been nice,” Taber said.

For the most part, not many who were screened were surprised with their numbers. Taber said most people are somewhat aware of what their blood pressure numbers are.

“And that’s what we want,” she said. “The point of today is to find out what your numbers are so that we can track them and keep track of whether or not you’re going up or down.”

Those who got screened were given paperwork with their blood pressure results so that they could discuss those numbers further with their doctor.

“And we are prepared if necessary to transport somebody if their blood pressure is just way too high,” said Taber, adding that has never happened at their events but she believed it has occurred in other parts of the county.

Taber said she hoped that Love Your Heart Day conveyed how important it is for people to know their blood pressure numbers to help promote good heart health.