ORLANDO, Fla. – Leading heart health organizations, including the American Heart Association, have recently reported children as young as 4 years old can call 911, and that by age 10 to 12, they can perform CPR.
Under Florida law, school districts are required to teach CPR to students in grades 9 and 11, however, there are courses available in Central Florida to help bridge the gap.
The Children’s Safety Village of Central Florida offers a number of classes to prevent injuries and deaths in children through life-saving education. One of the classes teaches children how to call 911 and the critical information they need to provide on the phone after, including the type of emergency.
Rene Cheek, assistant supervisor for Orange County Fire Rescue’s dispatch department, said she and her co-workers gets calls from children every day and that many of them do not know what to do.
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“A lot of parents just assume that their kids know how to do that. They assume that they know how to do it, but sometimes they don’t know their full address, or they don’t know exactly where they’re located or they don’t know a parent’s phone number,” Cheek said.
Cheek also had some advice for parents on how to educate their children on what to do in an emergency situation.
“Make sure the kids know how to dial 911, actually walk them through the steps,” Cheek said. “Make sure that they know their addresses and their phone number, and they can speak to them in a loud, clear voice and answer our questions and follow the directions.”
Seconds count during an emergency, and every summer, the Lake Mary police and fire departments partner for a babysitting and CPR course, sponsored by Orlando Health. Middle and high school students from across Central Florida can get CPR certified.
In the class News 6 attended, Michelle Yielding, community relations officer for the Lake Mary Police Department, said children as young as 11 years old got CPR certified.
“What’s going to be hard for the children is they’re going to feel like they’re hurting the person they are performing CPR on. When they take this class, the mannequins that are utilized, they will actually tell the children if they are pushing down hard enough,” Yielding said.
According to the American Heart Association, correct hand positioning and compression rates can be delivered by children as young as 10.
“When the adrenaline gets going, you’d be surprised what an 11-year-old can do strength wise. We just want them to know to at least try because at the end of the day, it’s a matter of life and death,” Yielding said.
Lake Mary police and fire will hold another babysitting and CPR course on Wednesday, July 26. Parents can sign up their children for the class here.
If your child cannot make it, parents can check with their local fire departments for CPR classes.
The American Heart Association also has a tool on its website which allows people to search for training near their location.
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