CPR Anytime Kit in Oxford High Schools Can Save Lives

Students at the Oxford School District and Lafayette County Schools received a life-saving gift from Baptist-North Mississippi.

The hospital has partnered with the American Heart Association to purchase the first CPR Anytime Kits in the state of Mississippi for the local high schools.

“More than 400,000 people suffer out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest each year. Nearly 90 percent don’t survive. We would like to change that, and we can’t think of a better place to start than with our students,” said CEO Bill Henning. “Baptist-North Mississippi is proud to invest in the community of the future by providing students with the American Heart Association’s CPR Anytime kits”

This donation also comes on the heels of CPR in Schools legislation being enacted in Mississippi.  Just this month Governor Phil Bryant signed American Heart Association supported legislation that will include CPR training as a requirement for high school students. Mississippi now joins 13 other states that have this life-saving requirement.
Sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, at any time. It is most often caused by a heart attack, but it can also be caused by trauma, an overdose or drowning. In sudden cardiac arrest, the heart stops beating; blood stops circulating; oxygen stops flowing to the brain; and the victim stops breathing. Studies have shown that students are capable of learning and effectively performing CPR.
“Oxford High School teachers and staff are thankful for this lifesaving device that will help our students learn Hands-Only CPR,” said Oxford School District Superintendent Brian Harvey. “You never know when the lesson taught within the walls of our high school will save the life of someone inside of our school walls or on the outside.”

“As a result of the donation of the CPR Anytime Kits, Lafayette County Schools will be better able to train all students as well as staff in CPR,” said Dr. Adam Pugh, Lafayette County Schools Superintendent.  “Hopefully, these skills will enable them to react in emergency situations and prevent the unnecessary death or injury to those in our community. We have already begun to train our students and faculty using this kit and will begin classes again with the start of the 2014-15 school year.”
About the American Heart Association The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America’s No. 1 and No. 4 killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit www.heart.org or call any of our offices around the country.
About Baptist Memorial Hospital – North Mississippi
Baptist North Mississippi is a 217-bed hospital that offers a variety of services, including cardiovascular surgery, Neurosurgery, the Baptist Cancer Center and a 24-hour emergency room. Since the hospital became affiliated with Baptist Memorial Health Care in 1989, Baptist has invested more than $140 million into the facility. In 2012, Baptist announced plans for building a new hospital for Baptist North Mississippi. For more information, please call 662-232-8100 or visit northmiss.baptistonline.org.
Story and photos courtesy of Baptist Memorial Hospital