What started as a vague
new state law that requires all New Jersey high school students to “receive instruction” in cardiopulmonary resuscitation before graduating will lead to the full certification of all Ocean City High School seniors in CPR and the use of AEDs (automated external defibrillators).
Ocean City High School nurse Rosemary Millar instructs Zac Calao and Oliver Trout in the use of an AED.
Students started classes on Monday, and within the next two weeks, more than 300 seniors will have completed the four hours of instruction necessary for a two-year certification.
If a responder can begin CPR measures within five minutes of cardiac arrest, "the probability of survival increases exponentially,” Ocean City firefighter Ray Clark said.
The use of AEDs increases the success rate of traditional CPR measures that much more.
Clark, also a member of the Ocean City Board of Education, said the effort to train so many students serves not only to meet the state mandate but to increase the likelihood that a trained responder will be near at hand if anybody is in need of CPR.
He said the department is training new instructors throughout the city in an effort to sustain a network of students and citizens trained in CPR and AED use.
Two new instructors — Ocean City High School nurses Rosemary Millar and Jill Geller — are helping with classes. They recently were recognized statewide for creating laminated AED instructions and locations to be worn by all staff members, Clark said.
A card carried by Ocean City School District personnel lists locations of AEDs in each school.
The Ocean City Fire Department is working under the auspices of Shore Medical Center to provide the certifications. The instruction takes place during regularly scheduled health classes through March 13.
The push to educate students in CPR is part of an effort to expand the focus of "Janet's Law," a bill that was recently enacted in memory of Janet Zelinski, an 11-year old New Jersey girl who died of sudden cardiac arrest following a cheerleading squad practice. The provisions of the bill apply to athletic events and activities that take place through public schools. In brief, Janet’s Law requires public schools to have automated external defibrillators for youth athletic events and to establish certain plans relating to sudden cardiac events. (See Ocean City's
Emergency Action Plan).
On hand to watch Tuesday's instruction, Ocean City Schools Superintendent Kathleen Taylor said students have provided overwhelmingly positive feedback on the experience.
She said that not only are they glad to have the knowledge but they also see a valuable piece of training that could help in a search for summer or part-time employment.
