30 years of saving breath

BY RAFFY BOUDJIKANIAN

raffy.boudjikanian@transcontinental.ca

In Quebec, only one in five people knows how to perform CPR, even though the manoeuvre is seen on television and in movies all the time. That means if you happen to need the life-saving technique in a room where there are only three other people, there might be a problem.

"We're actually big advocates of public education," said Julie Chevrier, head of Pointe Claire CPR, which has been trying to pump some life into those stats for the last 30 years.

Free, 22-minute CPR tutorial classes will be offered on Feb. 23 and 24, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Malcolm Knox Aquatic Centre in Pointe Claire. Following up on a similar program from last week-end, the classes help celebrate Pointe Claire CPR's 30th anniversary with style, as well as serve as a reminder that February is Heart Month for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Chevrier said that participants will be able to both watch a DVD as well as have a bit of hands-on experience practising on a dummy.

The DVDs also include tutorials on how to use an AED (Automatic External Defibrillators), a medical device that 'shocks' the heart of a victim in cardiac arrest back to a survivable electrical/mechanical rhythm.

Still somewhat of a rarity in Quebec, there are 11 AEDs in Pointe Claire, and Chevrier hopes the installation of eight more this year will mean each public building in the municipality has one.

Though informative, the 22-minute classes are 'previews' of the longer courses offered by the organization, Chevrier said.

"It's one of the most satisfying courses in terms of personal fulfilment," said Julie Blackman, 37, who took a CPR and first aid course in order to qualify for a Canadian border security officer job she applied to.

She said CPR really is not as basic as it is shown to be on television, which surprised her. For example, when laying someone down before performing the operation, it is necessary to ensure that the environment around you is safe, she said.

"The instructors are very approachable," she added.

Paul Kavanagh, who also took a class in order to qualify as a Scouts Canada leader, said he now has a habit of checking where the AED is located whenever he enters a public building. "I am a lot more aware of my surroundings," he added.

He said it was a very hands-on course and a lot of fun. "We covered both CPR practice with dummies and various first aid scenarios where we had to diagnose the problem and treat accordingly."

Chevrier said Pointe Claire CPR trained 600 people in 2007 alone.

The 22-minute classes are free, but there are varying charges for full course loads. Basic CPR training starts at $44, and a 16-hour curriculum including CPR, first aid, and AED training costs $104. For more information, call 514-630-1214.