CPR classes give Longboaters chance to save lives

More than 800 people took CPR classes through the Longboat Key Fire Department over the last year.

By Katie Johns
| 8:30 a.m. May 3, 2017

The Longboat Key Fire Department taught about 40 hands-only CPR classes to more than 800 residents. File photo

Longboat Key
News

In the five minutes it takes the Longboat Key Fire Department to respond to an emergency, it’s vital that the victim’s heart is pumping.

It’s this fact and many others that Fire Chief Paul Dezzi hopes the more than 800 people who took CPR classes will remember.

Over the past year, the fire department taught about 40 CPR classes on Longboat. Dezzi said the department was pleasantly surprised at the turnout and plans to continue the classes next year for those interested.

“This is just a plus, plus feel-good story of the Fire Department doing some wonderful things,” said Paul Skversky, who worked to bring CPR classes to the Longboat Key Public Tennis Center.

The classes can be, and were, taught at residences, club meetings and other public spaces.

Tips for Hands-Only CPR

Before giving CPR:

Check the scene and the person. Look for signs of rhythmic, normal breathing.
If there is no response from the victim when asked if he or she is OK, dial 911.
Begin compressions. If the person is unresponsive, perform hands-only CPR.

How to perform hands-only CPR:

Kneel beside the person who needs help.
Place the heel of one hand on the center of the chest.
Place the heel of the other hand on top of the first hand, then lace your fingers together.
Position your body so that your shoulders are directly over your hands, and keep your arms straight.
Push hard and push fast. Use your bodyweight to help you do compressions that are at least two inches deep and delivered at a rate of at least 100 compressions per minute.
Continue hands-only CPR until you see obvious signs of life, another trained responder or EMS professional can take over or an AED becomes available.

For education information, visit redcross.org. Although helpful, reading these tips don’t certify you as a trained responder. For information on how to take a class, call 316-1944.

The mouth-to-mouth portion of CPR can be intimidating to some people, Dezzi has said, so the 45-minute class teaches a “hands-on only” curriculum instead of a four-hour long certification class. Through this shorter class, participants learn hands-only CPR and how to use automatic external defibrillators.

“What happens with that is we hope they follow the procedure of calling 911 … and they’re able to do chest compressions, and we’ll worry about the airway,” Dezzi said.

Firefighters also taught participants 911 protocol and explained some of the medical equipment.

“We want them to stay on the phone so they [responders] get all that info,” Dezzi said. “It’s important for the responders to know what exactly they’re getting into.”

Since the classes began, the Fire Department has received positive feedback about the program. Dezzi said as long as people call and ask for the classes, they’ll be offered.

“Don’t be afraid to help somebody,” Dezzi said. “By doing that and proving that, we feel it’s working, and we hope people continue to come back this coming year.”

Recently, Dezzi has noticed more interaction from witnesses in emergency situations. If someone gets ill at the tennis center, a group of people is around to tell the medics what’s happening.

“It’s all part of the community effort, and we’re happy to see that,” Dezzi said.

And with more awareness, Skversky sees one problem.

“The only problem, God forbid somebody has a heart attack. They’re going to get crushed because everyone knows CPR now,” he said.