CPR Certification – Saving Lives

By Rushil Kannery

CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL – Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin recently collapsed on the field after a tackle. Hamlin was resuscitated not once, but twice, thanks to the onsite medical professionals’ extensive CPR training. This incident sparked an interest in CPR, and broadcasted a message on its importance.

So what is CPR?

“CPR stands for cardio-pulmonary resuscitation,” explains Centennial head nurse, Nurse Brown, who has been a nurse for over 30 years.

Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, is a form of manual chest compression to continue brain functioning while a person is in cardiac arrest. If the brain is not kept functioning, then the person cannot be saved.

“I think it’s important that everyone knows CPR… this Damar Hamlin situation has brought this to life for everyone. And it’s sad that someone dying in front of the public’s view had to be what got everyone’s attention,” says Nurse Brown.

While it took a tragic accident for the public to be informed about the importance of CPR, Damar Hamlin was reported to be recovering, proving how CPR really is a life-saver. “Hamlin received CPR on the field from medical professionals who were able to restart his heartbeat in a life-or-death scenario,” according to the NY Post. “Damar Hamlin is breathing on his own 50 percent of the time, his uncle said, calling it a “good sign” in his recovery.”

So now that the importance of CPR has been publicized, there arises the question: what to do next? Where can we get CPR trained?

“There’s classes that you can take and all different levels of classes. There’s what they call a Friends and Family. There’s a Heartsaver that you can actually get a card for, and then there’s BLS, like what I’m trained in, Basic Life Support, and what those people were trained in… that resuscitated Damar Hamlin,” adds Nurse Brown.

CPR is also taught in high school health classes. So if you’re not CPR certified, definitely think about getting CPR trained. You could potentially save lives!