While it is a possibility many may never find themselves in a situation where they need to use CPR, it is a life-saving skill one can acquire without breaking the bank or spending too much time. Clifton Wheeler of C&G First Response offers life saving training and more in his classes at 7253 Highway 90 in the center with Santa Rosa Transportation as does the City of Milton who also offers CPR and First Aid classes the first Saturday of every month. The Red Cross also has CPR training available. Chief John Reble said, “The bottom line is if someone goes down with a heart attack, they’re dying. It’s most effective if delivered immediately…You can literally make all the difference in that person’s life.”
Wheeler stressed two things in his class: the numbers 30 and 2, and the letters A, B, C, and D. The numbers represent the amount of chest compressions (30) to the amount of breaths one gives in administering CPR. He said the same apply whether treating an infant (birth to one year old), a child (1 to 8 years old), or an adult (8 years old an up). Only the technique differs between age groups.
The letters represent the entire process of giving CPR from checking the airway, breathing, applying compressions, and using an automated external defibrillator (AED). Wheeler first covered which technique to use to open the victim’s airway, the modified jaw thrust or the head tilt chin lift. The first, Wheeler said, involved pushing the jaw forward causing the epiglottis open to access the airway. This technique doesn’t require moving the neck, he said, which is crucial if one suspects some kind of spinal injury. Otherwise, he said, use the head tilt chin lift.
After checking the airway for anything blocking the passage and giving the two breaths, it is time for compressions. The two key things Wheeler covered were where to give them and how many hands to use. For all ages, Wheeler said, the target on the chest is right in the middle of the nipple line. Then for adults, in this case from eight years old and up, use two hands, one hand for a child, and two to three fingers for an infant. The other age group difference, Wheeler noted, was the speed of compressions. Since infants’ hearts beat faster, he said, compressions should happen much faster than for an adult.
Wheeler also made sure to cover when to start and when to stop CPR. If the subject is conscious but demonstrating signs of choking, such as grasping the throat, he advised first to ask permission to help. He said if the person backs away and rejects help, one should not try anyway so to avoid the chance of litigation. For adults, he said calling 911 should happen first, but for children he recommends completing a round of CPR before calling 911.
One should stop CPR when the victim starts breathing again and when paramedics arrive. Wheeler also said because one’s own life is most important, he or she should stop if the situation proves dangerous or when he or she is completely exhausted.
On choking, Sandra Raper, American Red Cross instructor and trainer, said, “Emergency Medical Services (EMS) should be called for choking as well. Encourage coughing. When an adult can no longer cough, cry, or speak that is when action is required. A combination of back blows and abdominal thrusts is used.”
All of Wheeler’s class was hands-on except for the exam. Students knelt next to a dummy designed for CPR practice and Wheeler walked them through A, B, and C for five rounds. Becoming exhausted is a possibility as kneeling, giving breaths, and applying 150 total compressions takes energy.
Rebel said the city’s class does have an audio/visual element but the practical work with the mannequin is crucial. “Our class is what is required for daycare workers and school workers,” Reble said, but noted the city does not teach first responder level classes where they generally work in teams.
Like Wheeler’s class, Reble said the city’s course covers administering CPR to all ages, how to use an AED if one is available, rescue breathing, barrier protection, and foreign body obstruction.
After serving the community as a firefighter, Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office detention center deputy, and paramedic since 1992, Wheeler said, “I just wanted to help people learn how to save lives without breaking the bank.” He said he found CPR classes charging $55 to $75 for the class and he believed he could do better while offering a completely hands-on approach without videos and PowerPoint presentations. The cost for the course is $20.
Reble said the city’s class costs $15 but requires at least six students to cover the cost of the class. “All we’re trying to do is cover the costs per student,” he said. He added if a church group or club wants to have a class but can’t meet Saturday morning, the city can accommodate if they get in touch in time. “We’re willing to do a lot,” he said.
Raper said, “Recognizing an emergency and dialing 911 are vital. Even if you are not trained, unwilling, or unable to provide care for whatever reason, recognizing an emergency and dialing 911 are simple actions that can save a life.”
In addition to offering CPR classes, Wheeler said C&G offers training for becoming a certified security guard, a certified nurse’s assistant (CNA), training for how to use a fire extinguisher, women’s self defense, and emergency preparedness for an active shooter situation geared towards businesses and office workers. Visit www.cgfirstresponse.com or call 417-4716 to learn more.
The city, Reble said, also offers a $10 first aid class covering a number of basic supportive care techniques. Contact the Milton Fire Department at 983-5430.
To get in touch with the American Red Cross about classes, call 800-RedCross or visit www.redcross.org.
Click here for video from Wheeler's class.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: To save a life (with VIDEO)