Photo By Senior Airman Kailee Reynolds | U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Ryan Pfanstiel, 47th Civil Engineering Squadron project...... read more read more
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In the fast-paced and often unpredictable environment of military operations, Airmen face challenges that require quick thinking, decisive action, and life-saving skills.
One crucial capability that can make a significant difference in combating these challenges is Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
Luckily, members at Laughlin Air Force Base volunteer to hold on-demand CPR classes for base personnel. Daniel Rubio, 47th Civil Engineering Squadron project manager, is teaching Airmen the basics of CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) usage.
“We provide this training because, whether you’re at home or deployed, it is imperative to be able to perform these skills quickly and efficiently,” said Rubio. “This training is available to all Airmen and civilian employees, where they can get both CPR/AED certified.”
Knowing how to perform CPR can mean the difference between life and death, whether the incident occurs out in the field with a wingman or with a civilian at a local restaurant.
“You never know when you will need to perform CPR on someone, much less what the estimated time of arrival is for emergency services and/or other trained medical personnel arriving on site,” said Rubio “Every minute without CPR/AED, a patient’s survival rate decreases anywhere from 7% to 10%.”
While these life-saving techniques are available as requested, some Air Force careers and duties require them.
“This class will make me a better Airmen all the way around,” said 2nd Lt. Ryan Pfanstiel, 47th Civil Engineering Squadron project programmer. “So, in case I am walking down an aisle in a supermarket and see someone passed out, I know I can confidently help assess and take care of them.”
The class begins with the instructor explaining the basics of the cardiovascular system, and what common emergencies and symptoms to look out for, such as sudden cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, choking, and drowning incidents.
“One of the most important unknowns is that CPR is not always a single-person job,” said Rubio. “In some cases, there will be other trained personnel who can help respond to an emergency. When more than one person is available, the goal is to have one person perform CPR, one person set up and use the AED, and then switch roles every two minutes.”
The class then moves on to a discussion on CPR's proper form and use, including 30 chest compressions, two breaths, use of the AED, and repetition of the entire process.
“A great trick that people use is performing chest compressions to the beat of the song ‘Stayin’ Alive’ from the Bee Gees,” said Rubio. “That song is around 100 beats per minute, which is around the same pace we want to be doing the chest compressions at. We will usually have people count out loud ‘one and two and three and four…’ up to 30, but playing the song in their head helps keep them on track if they have issues with rhythm.”
Once the steps and techniques are established, the instructor breaks out mannequins to demonstrate CPR and gives participants a chance to practice it themselves.
The class goes through the steps: first confirming that the patient is in need of CPR, performing it, then using the AED machine; which will monitor the patient's heart rate and provide a shock if needed. The importance of performing CPR between AED shocks and continuously until help arrives is emphasized strongly throughout the class.
“Practicing CPR and AED will build muscle memory and confidence,” said Rubio. “There are also a few key points that improve the quality and efficiency of actually physically performing CPR and AED.”
By teaching personnel life-saving skills and techniques, Laughlin's volunteer CPR instructors improve the overall resilience of the base and allow Airmen to be better equipped to handle unforeseen emergencies.
“It feels good to know that I have these life-saving skills,” said Pfanstiel. “I feel very confident in being able to use them in real-world situations.”
CPR training empowers Airmen to extend the reach of medical support in remote or hazardous locations, further reinforcing their role as defenders of freedom and humanitarians. Ultimately, incorporating CPR training into the skill set of every Airman underscores the military's commitment to saving lives and making a positive impact both on and off the battlefield.
| Date Taken: | 08.21.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 10.23.2023 10:21 |
| Story ID: | 455723 |
| Location: | LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 39 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, How our Airmen are "Stayin' Alive": volunteers of Team XL pioneer CPR training to build resilient Airmen at Laughlin, by SrA Kailee Reynolds, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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