Learning CPR:

A Key Link In The Chain Of Survival

By Steve Bigham

Nearly 50 “good Samaritans” turned out for last weekend’s “CPR Saturday” training course at the Sandy Hook Firehouse. They, along with the dozen or so instructors, gave up their Saturday morning in the hopes that the effort might someday save a life.

Communities all over the Northwest Connecticut region took part in the event. CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) training is available throughout the year. However, “CPR Saturday” is designed to help fill the need for community training and to provide a greater understanding and awareness of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system, as well as the role of the citizen responder. Dialing 911 and initiating CPR are considered key links in the “Chain of Survival.”

“That early intervention makes the difference between life and death, if it is followed up with advanced life support,” noted Newtown event coordinator Susan E. Cameron of the Newtown Ambulance Corps. “CPR is a skill anybody can learn.”

Many of those who took the course said they had received training in the past and were looking for a refresher. They remarked that Saturday’s course provided the best life saving training they had ever had. After all, they were learning from the people who practice CPR on a daily basis – the men and women of Newtown’s Emergency Services.

“If every family in the community knew CPR, we couldn’t do much better than that. That’s a very doable goal,” Mrs Cameron said. “There is more awareness now than there was 10 years ago.”

The American Red Cross facilitated the event, which, due to its enormous success, will be repeated again next year.

Those volunteering their time for the cause were instructors BJ Halstead, Mark de Wolfe, Debbie Aubin, Liz Cain, Mary Francis Denton, Harold Evans, Joe Farrell, Paula Gjerstad, Mary Hugo, Scott Lee and Mike McCarthy. The support staff included Ken Appley, Dave Butz, Chris Belair, Lynn Ceccaarelli, Debbie Drake, Karen Halstead, Will Johnston, Lori Beth LaJoie, Ann Pasko, Kris Peterson, Patty Powers, Stuart Reive and Chris Vadas.