MEMPHIS, Mich. – As many celebrate Damar Hamlin’s release from a Buffalo hospital, Local 4 has another story of a young life saved using CPR and an AED.
Memphis Community Schools knows firsthand how important it is to have an AED nearby during an emergency and know how to use it.
In December, a student-athlete collapsed. Cheer coach, school board member, and nurse Amanda Bobcean stepped into action. While the athletic director went to grab the AED, Bobcean administered CPR.
The student is now okay, but Bobcean can’t help but to think about ‘What If.’
“What if we didn’t have an AED,” said Bobcean.
She also has two children who attend school in the district and travel for sports.
“I want to know that there’s an AED there,” Bobcean said. “I want to know that her coach knows how to do CPR. These are things that I never thought of before that. You just don’t because you don’t think these things are going to happen to you.”
She reached out to Jennifer Shea, manager of Corewell Health Student Heart Check Program, who believes, just like fire drills, schools should have CPR drills.
“There’s all kinds of people that come to a school building,” said Shea. “It’s a community gathering place. Yet we don’t practice CPR drills as a thing that is required.”
Now Memphis Community Schools is working to do just that. They are also working on getting more AED equipment.
Corewell Health Student Heart Check also does free heart screenings for youth.
For more information on their next free event, click here.