On Dec. 28, Gov. Rick Snyder signed a new law that could save many lives.

This law will require that Michigan high school students learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation and how to use an automated external defibrillator before graduation, beginning in the 2017-2018 school year. The result will be roughly 100,000 more CPR-trained Michiganders every year.

Lawmakers in Michigan hope the odds of surviving a cardiac arrest improve in the state.

“We’re hoping this will help increase survival rates across all Michigan communities and beyond,” said pediatric cardiologist Monica Martin Goble, M.D., an associate professor at the University of Michigan Congenital Heart Center, and an American Heart Association volunteer. “As four out of five cardiac arrests happen at home, this has the potential to increase survival rates across our communities.”

Dowagiac Union High School students currently have been able to obtain this training and certification even before the new law passed.

Students enrolled in Mr. Kruger’s Healthy Lifestyles class have been becoming certified in CPR since he took over the class from Mrs. O’Keefe when she retired.  Mrs. O’Keefe also trained her students in CPR and can provide us with success stories about her students who have saved lives by providing CPR.

Dowagiac Union Schools has been training the transportation department and coaches for many years in CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator.  Even prior to this law being passed, Stephanie Munson and myself have been certifying any staff wanting to get their certification.

The staff has shown a tremendous response in wanting to become trained in CPR and the use of the automated external defibrillator.

Since the beginning of the school year, Stephanie and I have held five certification classes and have certified 47 staff members.  These staff members include teachers, paraprofessionals, coaches, custodial staff, transportation staff, and administrators.

Due to the great response of staff wanting to become certified, Stephanie and I will continue to hold CPR certification courses until all of the staff requesting the training have been trained. Staff members are taking time out of their personal lives to become certified.

This says a lot about the staff in our district.

The Dowagiac Union School staff is taking the initiative to learn this potentially life-saving skill even before it is required for our students.

 

Suzanne Dorman

District school nurse