Councilwoman Peggy Neely's
Tatum Sun Times Column

June 2005

Learn the Basics for Saving a Life

Phoenix firefighters know firsthand the importance of learning how to perform CPR.

Not only do they use it often to save lives, but also they've seen many incidents where others have done basic CPR to keep people alive until firefighters or other medical personnel arrive and take over.

“We know that when someone begins CPR before we get there, the victim has a much better chance of surviving,” said Phoenix Fire Capt. Thomas J. Higgins.

He says people who receive CPR up to four minutes after an incident occurs have a 45 percent survival rate, while those who don't get help until four to eight minutes have only a 10 percent rate of survival.

“And it usually takes us about 4 ½ minutes to get there,” adds Higgins.

Yes, you may never actually use CPR to save someone, but that does not mean you should not learn the lifesaving skills. With summer here and the bathing suits out of the closet, it goes without saying what knowing the basics can mean for your family.

You never know when you'll find yourself in a situation where the CPR class you took could mean the difference between life and death. Maybe the person sitting next to you on the bus will have a heart attack or your neighbor will have a stroke.

Children in swimming pools is the example we cannot overstate.

So far this year, Phoenix firefighters have responded to 15 drownings or near drownings, 13 involving children and two with adults. Of the victims, one child and two adults died and two other youngsters are on life support. In 2004, 74 incidents involved 44 children and 30 adults. 23 adults and six children died. Remember, it's not just pools. Watch your kids around all water.

Numbers like those above make it pretty clear that CPR is not just for firefighters, doctors or other emergency medical personnel. It's for everybody and just about everybody can learn it. In fact, anyone 10 years and older can take CPR.

United Phoenix Firefighters offers classes from 5 to 9 p.m. every Wednesday at the Washington Adult Center , 2240 W. Citrus Way . Call 602-277-1500 to learn more about the classes. Classes also are offered by the American Heart Association (602-414-5353) and American Red Cross (602-336-6660).

While we're stressing the importance of learning CPR, it also is a good time to think about how you can lessen the need to use it by practicing pool safety.

First, and perhaps most importantly, is knowing where your children are at all times. Don't leave them alone in or near a pool, even for a brief moment. Firefighters have been responded to too many drowning calls where a parent or babysitter said they left the child alone for “just a few seconds.” If you have to leave the pool area, take the child with you.

Be sure your pool is fenced properly, too, and keep large objects, such as tables, chairs and ladders, away from the fencing. Keep lifesaving devices like a hook or pole nearby.

Please, give some serious thought to learning CPR and ask family members and neighbors to join you at the classes. You can find out more by visiting phoenix.gov/fire and clicking on “Learn about water safety” and “Learn about CPR.”

Don't start the summer without it.

Phoenix City Councilwoman Peggy Neely represents District 2, which encompasses most of northeast Phoenix. She can be reached at 602-262-7445 or council.district.2@phoenix.gov