KAUKAUNA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – In the wake of Damar Hamlin’s on-field collapse last Monday, many are beginning to see the importance of CPR.
“Our external education department has been fairly busy fielding calls,” Gold Cross Ambulance Operations Director Nick Romenesko said.
Romenesko said they’ve been receiving more calls about training. He said the importance of being certified can’t be understated.
“We do about 443 cardiac arrests a year, so a large number of cardiac arrests we do, but only a small percentage of those — only about 20% — actually have bystander CPR performed on them. And of those 20%, we have a much higher survival rate.”
Around Northeast Wisconsin, officials at school districts like Kaukauna say it reinforces the need to be safe at all sporting events.
“Even the next morning, my thought was to go over to the nurse’s office to make sure that we’re keeping up on checking batteries on all our AEDs to make sure they’re functioning correctly as well as checking in with our training staff and licensed athletic trainers,” District Activities Director Nate Werner said.
Werner takes student safety seriously, and he’s always making sure that staff are doing the same.
“All trainers work with all our coaching staff to keep them up to date with those trainers, and we go through the refresher courses as much as possible.”
Automatic external defibrillators are located throughout schools in Kaukauna. Romenesko says Hamlin’s case highlights the importance of that technology.
“The hands only CPR started perfusion throughout the body, but that automatic external defibrillator is what shocked that heart back into a perfusable rhythm. So, getting that on the chest within three to five minutes is hugely important. ”
Romenesko said there are plenty of options for those looking to be trained and certified, including free training at Gold Cross.
Click here to learn about CPR training with the Gold Cross.
