On September 11, VA. Agency Reflected on Lives Lost While Training to Save Lives
As part of the City of Richmond’s 9/11 remembrance this year the loss of life was complemented by training to save a life in the future
Like most cities, towns and public servants, The Richmond Ambulance Authority (RAA) spent time on the morning of September 11, 2012, reflecting on those trapped in the twin towers, attacked in the Pentagon, or caught on a flight over Pennsylvania eleven years ago. Prayers and thoughts were offered for victims who lost their lives and for the first responders who gave theirs.
As part of the City of Richmond’s 9/11 remembrance this year however, the loss of life was complemented by training to save a life in the future. After the formal, reflective ceremony at Richmond’s City Hall, RAA invited attendees to take part in a hands-only CPR class on the lawn adjacent to the ceremony. 101 citizens, city employees and their families spent time learning and developing the valuable lifesaving skill using the American Heart Association (AHA) CPR Anytime® kit, which contains a CPR inflatable manikin and Staying Alive CPR DVD. Once the attendees completed the short skill station, they were then free to take their CPR Kit away to pass on and teach others. Kits were made available by Anthem BlueCross Blue Shield Foundation.
"Today has been all about life, remembering the victims of the tragedy and honoring the heroes that gave all that day, as well as training and developing a key skill to help save a life," said RAA CEO Chip Decker, a veteran of the response to the Pentagon on 9/11 as part of Virginia’s EMS Task Force. "The use of the CPR Anytime® kit is a great multiplier, we train one person and that one person trains many others, increasing the chances of a bystander delivering good quality CPR in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest.
RAA recently partnered with the Central Virginia CPR Council to deliver the "Great Days of CPR" in the Metro Richmond Area where over 700 people were trained in this vital procedure. RAA continues to plan CPR instruction events and intends to take CPR on the road again soon in a series of "Lunch and Learns."
"‘Learning CPR with the AHA CPR Anytime® kit is time well spent, just 20minutes of instruction could buy someone years of life and we intend to continue push hard and fast to train as many future lifesavers as possible," said RAA’s COO Rob Lawrence.
Visit RAA online at www.raaems.org. Click here to purchase a CPR Anytime® kit.
