Massachusetts is one of just a handful of states that doesn’t require CPR training as a high school graduation requirement. This story from CBS Boston investigative producer Elsie Nolan is another reminder of why every student should be taught this lifesaving skill.
Sudden Cardiac Arrest is a leading cause of death in the US — but bystander CPR can double or triple the survival rate.
How do we raise the number of CPR-trained bystanders? Train students in CPR before they graduate high school.
Training students in CPR can be accomplished with a minimal investment in time and cost. According to the latest science, trainees — including school children — can achieve acceptable levels of CPR skills proficiency in 30 minutes or less. That means in less time than it takes to watch the average sitcom, students can learn this lifesaving skill.
Pierson High School in Sag Harbor, NY, began its CPR program in 1994. Amazingly, at least 16 lives have been saved so far because these students used their CPR skills in the real world!
If the children from one school can save 16 lives, imagine how many lives we could save if all students in all 50 states learned CPR before graduation.
The American Heart Association wants all students and educators to learn CPR, putting more qualified lifesavers in our communities. The easy-to-use CPR in Schools Training Kit is designed precisely for educational environments and can be facilitated by anyone. The kit contains everything needed to train 10 to 20 people at once in CPR. Repeat the process to train a class, a grade – or even your entire campus! Buy the CPR in Schools training kit now.
From Nevada to Michigan and in dozens of states across the country, lives are being saved by high school students trained in CPR at school. Thirty-eight states and Washington, DC have passed state laws that will assure all students are trained in life-saving CPR before they graduate from high school. Let’s make Massachusetts next. Visit You’re the Cure to start saving lives today.
