Students and staff at the O'Bryant School of Math & Science in Roxbury responded when Joan Eacmen, a teacher, suffered a heart attack and passed out in front of her class in March. Joan's life was saved by their quick thinking and coordinated attempts to phone for assistance, perform CPR, and use the school's AED.
As a part of National CPR & AED Awareness Week, which began on June 4, they had the opportunity to honor these lifesavers.
Eacmen's life was saved by members of the school community, including pupils Zi Liu, Nakeo Murray, and Railin Castro; the school nurse, Carrie Bell Peace; and the assistant principal, Bettie Nolan.
After their instructor passed out in the middle of class, the students took charge, emptying the area and calling for help from their school nurse and assistant principal, who administered CPR and utilized an AED until Boston EMS arrived.
A heart saver is someone who responds swiftly to a startling or traumatic incident, such as a sudden cardiac arrest. The staff and kids who acted quickly and realized that their teacher required assistance are definitely lifesavers, and they serve as excellent role models for how crucial it is to know how to react as a group in the event of a cardiac emergency.
Every year from June 1–7, people around the world observe National CPR & AED Awareness Week, which raises awareness of how learning CPR and using an AED may save lives. In the US, there are more than 420,000 cardiac arrests that take place outside of hospitals.
Survival after a cardiac arrest depends on receiving CPR right away from someone close. If done properly, the victim's chances of survival can be increased by two or three.
Unfortunately, studies reveal that the majority of Americans feel powerless to intervene in a cardiac emergency because they lack the knowledge or the courage to perform CPR on the sufferer.
If prompt CPR and an AED had not been applied, according to Boston EMS and the doctors at Brigham and Women's hospital, Joan would not be alive today. Joan was able to thank the students, staff, and school for saving her life because Boston Public Schools made a commitment to safeguard the community by making sure that AEDs are always available in school facilities and that school staff and students have the chance to learn the life-saving skill of CPR.
When the first AED was installed at Boston Latin School in 2002, Boston Public Schools made a commitment to bolster the chain of survival. In 2006, CPR training for school employees and students was implemented. We're still working with Massachusetts schools to persuade them to teach CPR, which may help save hundreds more lives like Joan's!