ANTHONY LEMON JR., A STUDENT AT STERRETT CLASSICAL ACADEMY, LEARNS HOW TO PERFORM CPR, JUNE 6. (PHOTO BY ROB TAYLOR JR.)
Students at Sterrett Classical Academy in Point Breeze on Tuesday, June 6, learned math, science, and how to save a life.
Representatives from the American Heart Association, UPMC, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Public Schools teamed up to show students in grades 6-8 how to properly perform CPR. A number of students performed CPR (non-mouth) on manikins placed on the gym floor.
DR. SYLVIA OWUSU-ANSAH, EMS DIRECTOR FOR UPMC CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OF PITTSBURGH, SPEAKS TO THE STUDENTS AT STERRETT CLASSICAL ACADEMY, JUNE 6.
Dr. Sylvia Owusu-Ansah, EMS director for UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, primarily spoke with the students, along with Dr. Rickquel P. Tripp, vice chair of Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity for the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. Both African American women not only carefully explained the CPR methodology to the majority-Black student population, but also served as role models for possibly some students in the audience who may want to become doctors themselves one day.
AKIR GARNETT GETS AN AUTOGRAPH FROM STEELER ISAIAHH LOUDERMILK.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that about 9 in 10 people who have cardiac arrest outside the hospital die. But CPR can help improve those odds, as CPR can double or triple a person’s chance of survival. Dr. Owusu-Anshah, affectionately known as “Dr. O,” told the students they were most likely to have to experience a heart problem or stoppage with a family member inside the home. Dr. Tripp added that one could experience someone having a problem at a neighborhood park. The CDC reported that people in “low-income, Black, and Hispanic neighborhoods, are less likely to receive CPR from bystanders than people in high-income White neighborhoods.”
The issue of CPR and life-saving methods came into the national spotlight when McKees Rocks’ own Damar Hamlin, who was playing for the Buffalo Bills, went into cardiac arrest in the middle of a nationally-televised football game in January. Within a minute, medics were performing CPR on him and shocked him with an AED (automated external defibrillator) to help restart his heart.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS MONTRAVIUS ADAMS AND ISAIAHH LOUDERMILK, with Sterrett students. (PHOTOS BY ROB TAYLOR JR.)
Speaking of NFL players, the students weren’t alone when trying to learn how to properly perform CPR. Pittsburgh Steelers Montravius Adams and Isaiahh Loudermilk surprised the students when they walked into the gym. Aside from taking photos with students and getting the students into some football drills outside, the presence of Adams and Loudermilk showed the students that pro athletes are serious about knowing how to do CPR. If they’re serious about it, young people should be serious about it, too.
At Dr. O’s request, Adams “fell to the ground” in a staged display for the students, as if he were having a heart issue. Then Dr. O showed the students how to properly perform CPR on Adams. Dr. O and Dr. Tripp said it’s important first to “Look, Listen and Feel.” Come to the aid of the person who is undergoing a problem, then “look” to see if their chest is rising and falling, “listen” over their mouth and nose for breathing sounds, and “feel” their breath against your cheek for 10 seconds. If nothing is happening, CPR and other measures are needed immediately.
SAVION POLLARD PERFORMS CPR AS STEELER MONTRAVIUS ADAMS LOOKS ON.
CPR was then “performed” on Adams by Dr. O, as she showed students how to properly position their hands and exactly where to press on the chest, as the person doing the CPR is positioned in a way that they can get the maximum push on a person’s chest, to ultimately save that person’s life.
STERRETT ACADEMY STUDENT JAMES WILSON