Students Learn How to Save Lives

Colton High School participated for its fourth year in the one-day-only, nationwide American Medical Response World CPR Challenge held May 18. During the event, students learned how to raise the chances of saving a family member or friend’s life using hands-only CPR. The American Heart Association has stated that sudden cardiac arrest, a leading cause of death in the United States, occurs more than 350,000 times out-of-hospital every year, and of that number, 70 percent happens in the home. The purpose of the AMR World CPR Challenge is to educate people on how to double or triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival by using hands-only, or compressions-only, CPR. According to Ted Van Horne, AMR president and CEO, more than 183,000 people have been trained in the past three years of the challenge. In 2015 alone, 67,047 people were trained, 5,000 more than the year before, according to EMS World. Through AMR’s efforts at Colton High, which has participated in the event all four years of its existence, another 1,248 people have been added to that number: students who will now be able to potentially impact someone’s life through the knowledge learned. “This is a wonderful school in a great area,” said Robert Coster, account executive for AMR San Bernardino County. “We’re trying to impact the San Bernardino County, so we’re trying to make a difference. Each one of these students that we teach is another chance for a save in our county. They’re what actually makes a difference. They’re the heroes, so if they start the compressions and do it until we arrive, they double or triple somebody’s chance of survival. That’s very important to us.” Starting at 6:45 a.m., emergency medical technicians (EMTs), AMR representatives, paramedics, members of the City of Colton Fire Department and graduating EMT student volunteers from Crafton Hills College set up 100 dummies and knee mats on the floor of the gym. At 8 a.m., students started rolling through, first observing how to perform hands-only CPR – pushing hard on the chest at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute – and then practicing it themselves on the dummies to the tune of “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees, most famous for having a perfect match to the proper rhythm of compressions. According to the 2016 Hands-Only CPR Fact Sheet provided by the AHA, studies have shown that hands-only CPR is just as effective as conventional mouth-to-mouth CPR, and can even double or triple a cardiac arrest victim's chance of survival. The volunteers walked around to make sure the students were performing the movements, which are based on standards set by the AHA, correctly. Each “class” comprised of 20 to 100 students. “We’re trying to get as many folks through here today as we can,” said Dave Molloy, operations manager for AMR Redlands. According to Coster, a big challenge to overcome is the fear of CPR. “Most people are afraid to do something, and that’s the bigger thing,” he said. “The worst thing to do is nothing. At least they’re making the call or they can start compressions or something. Then, they’re at least engaged in doing something. If they practice it, they’re more apt to do something.” Victor Schiro, assistant principal at Colton High School, said the students are very respectful of the process, and that some students even come back to repeat the CPR session throughout the day. “The idea is to give them confidence that they can do this, and every now and then comes a story,” Schiro said. Johana Zermeno, graduating EMT student from Crafton Hills College, said she and her fellow graduating class made sure the high school students were getting the compression rate right and the full chest movement down. “Kids need to learn,” Zermeno said. “It’s awesome to have someone more your age that’s next to you showing you, as opposed to just people telling you what to do. It’s good to interact with the kids.” If you are in a situation in which a loved one collapses and needs CPR, the AHA has listed a few simple steps to follow to have a greater chance at saving his or her life: 1) Call 9-1-1 and 2) Push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the beat of the disco song “Stayin’ Alive” (from the 2016 Hands-Only CPR Fact Sheet). Additionally, you can visit heart.org/handsonlycpr to watch a 60-second instructional video about hands-only CPR. “If (students) are out walking around or if they’re at home with a family member and something happens to them, then they have an idea of what to do to try and help their loved ones stay with the blood circulating and try and give them a chance before EMS actually gets there,” Molloy said.