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Crime & Safety

Diablo Vista Middle School 7th Graders Learn to Become Lifesavers

The CPR course for Danville students was part of a pilot project that the SRVUSD and San Ramon Valley fire district hopes to offer to kids throughout the San Ramon Valley.

Instead of doing jumping jacks and running laps in PE class Monday, some 260 7th graders at Diablo Vista Middle School became empowered to do something pretty amazing.

The learned how to save people's lives.

The San Ramon Valley HeartSafe Committee, in partnership with the and the , taught hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of an automated external defribrillator (AED) to the students, two student assistants and three teachers.

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The valuable life-saving lessons took place during the kids' PE classes, said Kimberly French, the fire district's information officer. The students learned that it's not at all normal to see an adult suddenly collapse and become unresponsive. If an adult suffers a sudden cardiac arrest, the students learned, that person's survival can depend on receiving immediate CPR and administraton of the defribrillator.

With such messages in mind, the sudents were showed how to check on the person, call 911 and push hard and fast in the center of the person's chest until help arrives. Don't be afraid, the students were told, according to French. Such actions can only help. 

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“All of the instructors were so impressed with the willingness to learn these students displayed,” said Captain Andy Swartzell, Emergency Medical Services coordinator for the fire district. “They really understood the importance of learning this life saving skill.”

Each student was given the opportunity to practice their new skills on CPR manikins, and staff from the Fire District and members of the HeartSafe Committee insured that the students were using proper form. They also answered questions students had.

In addition to the “hands-only” CPR skill, students were also given an overview of the AED defibrillators and shown how simple they are to use.

These presentations were a pilot program that both the fire district and the SRVUSD hopes to expand to all 7th graders in the San Ramon Valley next school year.  

“We could not be more pleased at the success of this program,” said Fire District Board Vice President Tom Linari.  “Our community is now a safer place for all who work and live in the valley and we look forward to expanding the reach of this program next year.”

The San Ramon Valley HeartSafe Community Committee is a part of the San Ramon Valley Citizen Corps Council. The council is a partnership between the City of San Ramon, the Town of Danville, the Community of Alamo, the San Ramon Valley Unified School District and the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District.

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