Campus supports initiative to become a HeartSafe community
Chris MacDonald '10
Issue date: 10/1/08 Section: News
Norton and Wheaton are becoming "HeartSafe communities" after generous funding from the college. A new CPR training program, Citizen CPR, will be administered to all resident advisors as well as 2,000 citizens of Norton.
Citizen CPR, which takes only thirty minutes of training as opposed to the typical American Heart Association certification requirement of three to four hours, will first be administered to the RAs.
The HeartSafe education package, called the CPR Anytime Kit, contains an inflatable CPR mannequin as well as an instructional DVD. Once the training is completed, each RA will be allowed to keep their education materials as a continuing resource to promote ongoing skill maintenance.
"The program is better than traditional training," said Dean Craig Andrade of the Office of Health and Wellness. "In its pioneer city of Seattle, an astounding 95% of citizens are CPR trained due to this program, and imparts those who take it with a lasting knowledge that will improve and promote cardiac -and general-health."
As early as October, the initiative will move to the Norton community, where an eventual 2,000 citizens (among them 740 Norton High students) will be trained. Training is facilitated with three-member teams comprised of an EMT or paramedic, a Wheaton peer health advocate, and a wellness teacher, who will work together with students and citizens to train them in resuscitation.
This initiative began just this March, with fundraising among businesses in the community and the American Heart Association to foot the $40,000 bill. Wheaton sponsored
$5,000 towards the program.
Wheaton, in conjunction with Norton Fire and Rescue, Sturdy Memorial Hospital, the American Heart Association, and the Norton School Department, will augment appreciation of CPR and wellbeing in addition to raising overall awareness of health issues that face Wheaton's students, faculty, staff as well as community members.
In addition to CRP training, Heart Safe community status mandates that a certain quantity of AEDs (automated external defibrillators) be present on campus in common areas. These AEDs will be present around the gymnasium, the pool, and the fitness center, among other locales.
Dean Andrade was very pleased with the swift and sure steps that Wheaton took to ensure that the college and its surrounding community would be safer, healthier places. "The program," he told the Wire, "is an exciting initiative that provides life saving benefits to many friends and neighbors while advancing our educational mission and strengthens our community relationships."
Citizen CPR, which takes only thirty minutes of training as opposed to the typical American Heart Association certification requirement of three to four hours, will first be administered to the RAs.
The HeartSafe education package, called the CPR Anytime Kit, contains an inflatable CPR mannequin as well as an instructional DVD. Once the training is completed, each RA will be allowed to keep their education materials as a continuing resource to promote ongoing skill maintenance.
"The program is better than traditional training," said Dean Craig Andrade of the Office of Health and Wellness. "In its pioneer city of Seattle, an astounding 95% of citizens are CPR trained due to this program, and imparts those who take it with a lasting knowledge that will improve and promote cardiac -and general-health."
As early as October, the initiative will move to the Norton community, where an eventual 2,000 citizens (among them 740 Norton High students) will be trained. Training is facilitated with three-member teams comprised of an EMT or paramedic, a Wheaton peer health advocate, and a wellness teacher, who will work together with students and citizens to train them in resuscitation.
This initiative began just this March, with fundraising among businesses in the community and the American Heart Association to foot the $40,000 bill. Wheaton sponsored
$5,000 towards the program.
Wheaton, in conjunction with Norton Fire and Rescue, Sturdy Memorial Hospital, the American Heart Association, and the Norton School Department, will augment appreciation of CPR and wellbeing in addition to raising overall awareness of health issues that face Wheaton's students, faculty, staff as well as community members.
In addition to CRP training, Heart Safe community status mandates that a certain quantity of AEDs (automated external defibrillators) be present on campus in common areas. These AEDs will be present around the gymnasium, the pool, and the fitness center, among other locales.
Dean Andrade was very pleased with the swift and sure steps that Wheaton took to ensure that the college and its surrounding community would be safer, healthier places. "The program," he told the Wire, "is an exciting initiative that provides life saving benefits to many friends and neighbors while advancing our educational mission and strengthens our community relationships."
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