News Release from: Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue
MEDIA EVENT - FIREFIGHTERS AND NURSES TEAM UP TO TRAIN 1,300 WEST LINN MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS HANDS-ONLY CPR
Posted: October 15th, 2012 11:51 AM
On Tuesday, October 16th Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center nurses and Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue firefighters will be down on their hands and knees along with 85 students from Rosemont Ridge Middle School in West Linn as part of a joint effort with the West Linn School District and the American Heart Association to train 1,300 middle school students this year in hands-only CPR.
MEDIA EVENT SCHEDULED
When: Tuesday, October 16th at 11:50 am - 12:30 pm
Where: Rosemont Ridge Middle School (Gymnasium), 20001 Salamo Road, West Linn
Interviews: Anne Voeglin (teacher), Catherine Marioni(mother of 7th grader), Garrett Marioni (Rosemont 7th grader)
According to Catherine Marioni, mother of Garrett who is a 7th grader at Rosemont, "It is wonderful for the hospital and fire department to bring this forward to the schools. Learning CPR at this age helps kids become aware of the needs of others. In addition to feeling like they can control their own well-being, they can now participate in the well-being and health of others by learning this skill."
Wood Middle School was the first to participate in the Middle School Healthy Hearts Program, which is funded through a grant written by Legacy Health researcher, Taryn Lust. According to Lust, it was a complete coincidence that Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center received the grant just shortly after a Wood Middle School teacher collapsed and died of cardiac arrest in the classroom last year.
"It just emphasized for all of us who are teaching this program to kids how important it is for these students to learn hands-only CPR. Through learning CPR, they will have a chance to save lives in the future." Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue responds to over 1,800 cardiac events each year and having someone ready and willing to initiate CPR before paramedics arrive can mean the difference between life and death for the patient.
Students participating in the Middle School Healthy Hearts Study take part in two classes. One class focuses on preventing heart disease by educating about healthy eating and physical activity and the other class teaches the kids how and when to perform hands only CPR.
"At the conclusion of this study, it is gratifying to know that we will have 1,300 young community members trained to provide intervention to anyone they come in contact with in the course of their lives who is suffering a cardiac event," said Lust.
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