The Crookston American Legion Post 20 has been partnering with RiverView Health for more than 20 years to assure community members interested in learning CPR can do so free of charge. The monthly Friends and Family class is popular with those interested in knowing what to do in case of an emergency but who do not need certification.
Recently, the Legion went above and beyond its annual contribution to the program with a $10,000 donation to assist in the next 10 years of the training and to fund the purchase of a new Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) manikin, MegaCode Kelly.
According to Wendy Oanes, Training Center coordinator, the new ACLS manikin is very much
appreciated as the last manikin
was over 20 years old and had
been well used.
“We are so grateful for this wonderful gift,’’ Oanes shared. “The American Legion has always been so supportive of our training program for the community. Their donations over the past 20-plus years have been a wonderful gift, and I have been so happy to be able to offer free classes to our community so people can learn what to do if someone needs help.’’
The Friends and Family class is one of two classes held on the second Thursday of each month. In this class, no test or certification are given to the participant, but he/she does receive a CPR book.
The other monthly class offered in conjunction with Friends and Family is the HeartSaver class for those needing certification. A test is given at the end of the four-hour class. The cost of the class is $50.
Classes begin at 6 p.m. each month and are held at RiverView’s Home Care Building, 721 S. Minnesota Street. Registration is required, and no walk-ins are accepted due to the need to social distance for COVID-19 purposes. For more information or to register, call 281-9405.
CPR facts from the American Heart Association
- CPR – or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation – is an emergency lifesaving procedure performed when the heart stops beating.
- Immediate CPR can double or triple the chances of survival after cardiac arrest.
- According to 2014 data, nearly 45 percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims survived when bystander CPR was administered.
- The majority of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrests (OHCA) occur at public settings (18.8 percent), mostly homes/residences (69.5%), and nursing homes (11.7%).
The American Heart Association (AHA) strongly promotes knowledge and proficiency in all AHA courses and has developed instructional materials for this purpose. Use of these materials in an educational course does not represent course sponsorship by the AHA. Any fees charged for such a course, except for a portion of fees needed for AHA course materials, do not represent income to the AHA.
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