Fort Knox has partnered with the American Heart Association (AHA) to purchase cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) materials for local school districts to educate students and teachers and help prevent fatalities during life-threatening cardiac arrest situations.
The Fort Knox Emergency Response Team also voluntarily trained middle school teachers on how to perform these life-saving techniques and add to their health and safety curriculum.
The training involved learning proper form and pace needed to successfully perform CPR by practicing on “Rescue Anne,” a certified CPR training mannequin.
The goal is to build confidence in students and teachers and encourage their participation during life-threatening situations. Approximately 90% of cardiac arrests that occur outside hospitals are fatal. If performed immediately and correctly, CPR can double a person’s chance of survival.
“At Fort Knox, safety is a top priority not only for our operations, but for our communities. We are pleased to train our neighbors on these life-saving techniques that can reduce the risk of fatalities during emergency situations.” said Keith Arens, Health and Safety Manager, Fort Knox.
Alaska is one of 13 states in the United States that does not make CPR training mandatory in school curriculums and this program’s goal is to increase the number of trained CPR professionals in the state.
Fort Knox plans to partner with the AHA again to provide more training kits to the community.
Keith Arens, Health and Safety Manager (right), demonstrates the proper hand positioning for successful CPR
Marc Mykkanen, Mine Rescue Coordinator (right), putting his CPR training to the test
Brooke Eifling, Emergency Response Team (ERT) member (left), guides her participant through CPR
