Lebanon Paramedics Deliver CPR Instruction To Students

Eighth graders at Seven Oak Middle School were introduced to the world of saving lives today through a partnership between their school and the Lebanon Fire District. Seven Oak teacher Leah Rainey approached the fire district with the idea a few months ago and LFD jumped at the opportunity to help. LFD paramedics Mark Fitzwater and Candace McHuron (who are also certified CPR instructors) spent the entire school day teaching CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) use to 186 students. They were assisted by LFD Student Intern Jamin Hooley who is currently in the Chemeketa Community College Paramedic program. 

Students were taught how to assess an unconscious patient, activate the 911 system, apply and use an AED, and perform chest compressions at the proper depth and rate. 

"The reality is that you don't have to be a certain age to save a life", said Jason Bolen, LFD Division Chief in charge of public education. "Today we sent 186 students out into the world with life-saving skills. If they encounter a person experiencing sudden cardiac arrest they now know exactly what to do. Programs like this reduce the risk of death from sudden cardiac arrest in our community." 

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a leading cause of death among adults over the age of 40 in the United States. In the U.S. alone, approximately 326,200 people of all ages experience SCA each year and nine out of 10 victims die. In fact, the number of people who die each year from SCA is roughly equivalent to the number who die from Alzheimers disease, assault with firearms, breast cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, diabetes, HIV, house fires, motor vehicle accidents, prostate cancer and suicides combined. SCA is a life-threatening condition--but it can be treated successfully through early intervention with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), defibrillation, advanced cardiac life support, and mild therapeutic hypothermia. When bystanders intervene by giving CPR and using automated external defibrillators (AEDs) before EMS arrives, four out of 10 victims survive. 

Bolen says programs like today's class at Seven Oak are part of a broader focus by the Lebanon Fire District known as Community Risk Reduction. 

"Community Risk Reduction involves taking steps to identify the current risks present within your community and provide interventions to ultimately lower those risks." he said. "The goal is to give our students and our community the necessary tools to keep their families as safe as possible." 

The Lebanon Fire District hopes to provide more classes like this in the 2017-18 school year. For more information on CPR and AED instruction, contact the Lebanon Fire District at 541-451-1901.