The American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all, recently donated a CPR in Schools training kit to Conestoga Valley High School. The donation was made possible with support from Barley Snyder, as part of the law firm’s sponsorship of the Lancaster Heart Ball.
“Being able to donate this CPR in Schools training kit to Conestoga Valley could potentially save lives,” said Barley Snyder attorney Elizabeth Melamed, who also is on the board of directors for the American Heart Association Lancaster Division. “The more people that are officially trained and certified in CPR techniques, the better. We’re very excited that Conestoga Valley High School realizes the importance of CPR and to support the American Heart Association’s initiatives and CPR programming.”
Developed by the American Heart Association, the CPR in Schools portable training kit contains inflatable manikins, AED training simulators. The kit is designed to help educators facilitate CPR training in a single class period and to be reused to train an entire school.
CPR – or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation – is an emergency lifesaving procedure performed when the heart stops beating. Only about 45 percent of people who experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest receive the immediate help they need before professional help arrives.
Immediate CPR can double or triple chances of survival after cardiac arrest. If someone is called on to give CPR in an emergency, they will most likely be trying to save the life of someone they love: a child, a spouse, a parent or a friend. In 2019, the American Heart Association advocated for passage of legislation that ensures all Pennsylvania high school students are trained in Hands-Only CPR.
“I want to extend a huge thank you to the American Heart Association and Barley Snyder for the generous donation of the CPR training kit,” said Nancy Lopez, Conestoga Valley School District’s nursing department chair. “This kit will be a valuable addition to the CPR courses we offer at the high school and our instructor is excited to utilize the kit’s tools with our students!”
The American Heart Association trains more than 23 million people globally every year by educating healthcare providers, caregivers, and the general public on how to respond to cardiac arrest and first aid emergencies. To learn more about CPR training, visit heart.org/cpr.