DETROIT (WXYZ) — Detroit Public Schools Community District teachers and administrators are teaming up with the Detroit Fire Department to gain some potentially life-saving skills, like chest compressions and proper breaths for CPR and using an AED.
This training comes right off the heels of two new bills signed into law by Governor Whitmer- House Bills 5527 and 5528.
These bills make it mandatory for all high school head coaches and assistant coaches to maintain an active CPR/AED certification and require all schools to have an emergency response team of trained personnel equipped with CPR and AED training and certifications.
These bills have been incredibly well received by staff with DPSCD. Many said they are happy to be equipped with the knowledge to potentially save a life if the situation arises.
"When you're running a building, and I mean, you have 500-something kids, you have to be able to think on your feet... You hope you don’t have to use it, but to be able to say, Hey, I have that training, and I'm able to use it, it just makes, you know, the day-to-day processes a little bit more easier," said Jon-Phillip Harrold.
Detroit Fire Department Captain of Training Jeffery Forbes said the department has an average response time of 7.5 minutes, but every second counts when someone isn't breathing and can be the difference between life and death.
"If I show up on a scene and there's bystander CPR going on, I kind of get goosebumps because you think about it, how much they actually care, how much they're trying for this loved one to make sure that their loved one is at the family events, at the holiday events, and that gives the person the best chance of survival," said Forbes.
He also emphasized the fact that these skills aren't limited to the classroom. They are life skills that can be translated to any situation in any setting.
