VHHS Students Learn CPR

The Vernon Hills High School has been teaching CPR to the Class of 2013. Each spring for the past six years, the juniors in physical education learn the valuable basic lifesaving skills of Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation. CPR will help maintain the vital organs of a person experiencing cardiac arrest until advanced life support arrives on scene. The students also learn how to use the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) which increases the chance of survival by 10% for each minute that ticks away according to the American Heart Assocation. As important, the Heimlich maneuver is also taught in class and practiced by the students to understand how to relieve an airway obstruction in the event that someone is choking. Once the students have completed the coursework taught by the VHHS Teaching Staff, the Countryside Fire District CPR Instructors give the practical evaluation test. Firefighter/Paramedic Melissa Sosnoski states, "we provide real life scenarios during the evaluation that the students may find themselves in which puts their training in perspective." "What most students do not realize is, they may have to use these lifesaving skills on someone they know and care about before they ever use CPR on a stranger", said Sosnoski. Countryside Fire District had 3908 emergency calls, with about 70% EMS calls. Public Education Coordinator Tony Rodkey explains to the students that most of the medical emergencies take place in the residential homes of the fire district and knowing how to do quality CPR will help pass the course but more importantly, CPR could possible save a family member. "We like the students to leave confident and skillful, because they now become part of our team as a first responder and will be valuable in a real emergency", stated Rodkey. Mike Prosi is the American Heart Assocation CPR Instructor Trainer for Countryside Fire District and help build the partnership with VHHS by providing the CPR Instruction for the teachers. He says, "From what I see, the Physical Education staff has done a great job teaching CPR to the 300 students who have completed the CPR in Schools program." For a future CPR class at the fire station, go to www.countrysidefire.com.