Free CPR class teaches important lifesaving skills

Free CPR class teaches important lifesaving skills

(Photo: Mariel Reimann/KSL Latino)


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WEST VALLEY CITY — More than 120 people spent part of their Saturday learning CPR from firefighters and police officers at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center. The free class was designed to reach children and adults who may not have previous experience with CPR.

"Do you know why it is so important that you know how to do CPR? Because after making the 911 call, it can take us three to four minutes to arrive, but you are there, and every minute counts,” said West Valley City Battalion Chief Bob Fitzgerald in his opening speech.

The CPR class was presented in collaboration with West Valley City Neighborhood Services, KSL Latino, the West Valley City Police Department and the West Valley City Fire Department. The Girl Scouts of Utah provided Spanish translation.

The class turned out to be "the most successful we've seen," said firefighter and paramedic Mary Lindsay. "We have received multiple emergency calls where children are the callers, so we want children to also learn," said Lindsay, who taught the class.

The initial question to the participants in the two-hour class was, "Are you afraid to do CPR?” to which the overall response was a resounding yes. Lindsay worked to help participants conquer this fear and change this response. Adults and children had the opportunity to practice with dummies, which were provided by the fire department.

“The participation of the children and their desire to learn how to respond in an emergency was one of the highlights of the day,” said Lindsay.

CPR Resources
Find a class in your area HERE

Classes for babysitters HERE

Classes for professionals HERE

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of Americans overall. The Latino community faces even higher rates of cardiovascular diseases than the general population, including high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes, according to the American Heart Association.

Language barriers, fear of becoming involved because of distrust of law enforcement, financial issues and lack of familiarity with available resources often contribute to delays or barriers in calling 911 for help, according to a study published in the journal Annals of Emergency Medicine.

The study showed that people who live in neighborhoods that are primarily minority populations or poor are much more likely to have cardiac arrest outside of a hospital, and when they do, are 30 percent less likely than whites to receive CPR from someone nearby.

Developing a culture of learning and performing CPR can have a big impact on the health of a community. Holding this event in collaboration with police and firefighters was a way to familiarize the community with the officers who serve nearby.

"The event was a success and helped many people today," said WVC police detective Franco Libertini. "This is exactly what we wanted, to spread awareness, to work directly with people, to involve the whole family and to make this an activity for all."

For more information about upcoming CPR training events from West Valley City and the Utah Cultural Celebration Center, visit KSL Latino. Classes offering full CPR training and certification are available from the Red Cross and from the Utah Emergency Medical Training Council.

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Mariel Reimann

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