CPR skills help chain of survival

It was an unusual sight as people swarmed Clarence Fulton Secondary School in Vernon on Saturday. Chatter was loud, enthusiasm could be felt and it had nothing to do with school and everything to do with learning how to save a life.
Three hundred eighty five people filled the classrooms of the school as part of a free community CPR course.
Participants learned how the latest techniques in CPR training: new protocol involves no longer taking a pulse check but looking, listening and feeling for breathing for no more than 10 seconds before starting chest compressions.
Vernon firefighters demonstrated the proper protocol for dealing with someone who is choking and someone who falls unconscious. You must first identify yourself, encourage the individual to cough and ask if you can help before performing a chest thrust underneath the victim’s ribs and slapping his or her back to dislodge an item in the windpipe.
Participants also got the chance to practice a repetition of 30 chest compressions and two breaths on dummies.
To do a compression, Crawford suggests taking one hand and linking it with another hand then placing the heel of your hand in the centre of the chest.
First responders say CPR started immediately on an individual could bring him or her back to life.
“The faster CPR is started, the better your chance of survival is,” said firefighter Brad Crawford.
One paramedic says it’s something that he sees often.
“We’ve brought people back just with CPR. We’ve brought them back with just ventilating,” said Geoff Vick with B.C. Ambulance. “Time is not on our side. The sooner we can get at that, the better it will be.”
Firefighters hope equipping residents with CPR knowledge creates a chain of survival.
Vernon Fire Rescue says it allows time to be bought while firefighters get on the scene, which can buy more time for paramedics and ultimately hospital staff.
“My family lives here and everybody else’s family is all here,” said Crawford. “Just knowing that there are people out there who can intervene as soon as something happens gives somebody a better chance of survival. It’s awesome.”
It’s a moment participant Natalie Ilyin experienced firsthand six years ago after taking a CPR course.
“A lady had walked to the washroom and her face was pale. I just walked in after her and she was choking. Because of going through the course, I was able to save her life,” Ilyin said.
This is the 25th year the CPR training course has been held and there were 100 more people registered this year than last year.
The event was put on by Vernon Fire Rescue and Silver Star Rotary Club of Vernon.