(COVINGTON, La.)– St. Paul’s students and faculty recently participated in a CPR and Stop the Bleed course. Students practiced applying tourniquets, stuffing and dressing wounds, and administering CPR on dummies. “The firefighters instructed us to perform CPR to the temp of “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees,” said Junior Benjamin Davidson.

A number of schools started administering the Stop the Bleed program after the Parkland shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in February 2018. Officials said that if students at Parkland had known techniques such as how to apply a tourniquet or stuff a wound, then victims would have had higher chances of surviving the shooting.

Students were invited to extend their training by participating in an official CPR certification program free of charge. The certification program gives teaches students lifesaving skills required for summer jobs such as lifeguard, camp counselor, and baby sitter. Students who took the certification program attended three after-school sessions taught by Tilly Gard, RN, at Lakeview Regional Medical Center, and Vincent Trabona, Mandeville Fire EMS. 

Junior Scott Manifold said, “the course was really informative, and it was insanely helpful being able to get CPR certified at school to be a summer camp counselor.” Principal Trevor Watkins said, “having put all of our students through the CPR training course we now have almost 900 potential lifesavers in our school, homes, and community. St. Paul’s extends its gratitude to the Mandeville Fire Department, Lakeview Regional Medical Center and Pontchartrain Cancer Center.”

Kathy Oubre, Chief Operating Officer of the Pontchartrain Cancer Center, said, “programs such as CPR training and certification helps empower the young men of St. Paul’s with the knowledge and skills to provide life-saving measures to others in need. These are important life skills they can take with them throughout their lives.”