Could Hawaii Be the Next State to Add CPR Training for High School Graduating class

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Could Hawaii Be the Next State to Add CPR
Training for High School Graduating class
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Just a few weeks ago Arizona became the 32nd
state to insure that all high school students
will receive CPR training in schools. States that
have CPR training policies will have thousands of
new potential lifesavers added to their
communities each year. The American Heart
Associations Hawaii Division Board of Directors
and volunteers want Hawaii to join the 32 other
states that have added CPR training to the high
school experience and continue to make passage of
a CPR in Schools policy a priority for Hawaii
public high schools.
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The goal is to secure a Hawaii Board of Education
(BOE) policy that would make CPR training part of
Hawaii high schools health class curriculum.
Since a health class credit is already needed for
high school graduation in Hawaii, such a policy
would result in virtually every high school
student learning the important life-saving
technique. One of our most active volunteers on
this issue is Emergency Room Physician Elizabeth
Char. Dr. Char and AHA Hawaii Division Board
Member Paul Yokota recently presented information
to the Hawaii BOE about the AHAs work to-date to
provide Hawaii high schools with the equipment,
materials and teacher training that will be
needed to implement the policy.
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While many schools offer CPR training on a
volunteer basis, the AHA pointed out that policy
is needed to ensure that all students receive the
training and that the training lessons are
sustained. Char presented with passion on the
issue Currently 32 states have added CPR
training in high school policies. It would be
great to see all states pass CPR in schools
policy as part of the nationwide effort to
improve survival from out of hospital cardiac
arrest.
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Hawaii can achieve better survival rates through
a better educated community, and that includes
our students, and professional rescuers. There
are many states that have much better survival
rates than Hawaiis, so we know we can do
better. Cardiac arrest can occur with no
warning or symptoms from an electrical short
circuit in the heart. No one is immune to it -
not even children, athletes and seemingly healthy
adults. However, cardiac arrest can also be
related to blockages of the coronary arteries, as
might occur with a heart attack.
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Each year, more than 326,000 emergency medical
services-assessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrests
occur in the United States, and of this figure an
estimated 6,300 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests
happen to children. Hands-only CPR, which is
being recommended for Hawaii schools, can be
taught in less than 30 minutes, or the time it
takes to conduct one health class. Please watch
for future action alerts for opportunities to
lend your voice of support to the AHAs efforts
to pass CPR in Schools policy for Hawaii
students.