McHenry Community High School is celebrating the 10th anniversary of offering American Heart Association CPR/AED training and the 1,902 students who have learned lifesaving skills over the last decade.
Northwestern Medicine officials joined with high school teachers and administrators Wednesday April 5 to honor the most recent class of 221 students to become certified through the American Heart Association’s HeartSaver K-12 CPR/AED course.
CPR/AED training has been in the news lately with Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin crediting CPR and AED for saving his life when he collapsed on field earlier this year. Hamlin is working to encourage CPR and AED use and training in schools.
The physical education department offers the HeartSaver for K-12 Schools training in collaboration with Northwestern Medicine McHenry. The course includes CPR, handling choking emergencies and using an AED (automatic external defibrillator.)
Elizabeth DePouw, McHenry and Western Lake County EMS system coordinator for Northwestern Medicine, said studies show a patient’s outcome improves dramatically if lifesaving methods are used before paramedics arrive.
“McHenry High School has empowered you to act,” she told students Wednesday.
“That makes each and every one of you a very important person.”
The HeartSaver course is offered through the school’s physical education department. Seven PE instructors offer the training.
“Our community is safer because of all this training the kids have gotten,” said Dr. John Beerbower, assistant division chair for McHenry High School District 156 physical education, health and driver’s education at Upper Campus.
Beerbower said he’s heard from several former students that the training allowed them to respond well in emergencies.
Students receive an electronic certification to show they’ve completed the rescue training for infants, children and adults.