Students who attend the Beaverton Health and Science School (BHS2) are determined and tenacious. Many of them have had aspirations to practice medicine or be a scientist since they were a small child. During their career at BHS2, students undertake tasks that require self-discipline, imagination, and significant academic achievement. (Building the right skills Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue needs for the next generation of firefighter paramedics!)

On Tuesday, November 26, firefighters from Station 64 will spend time with 165 middle and high school students to help them understand how they can prepare to become firefighters. Firefighters will reinforce the value of health education, particularly since 80% of emergency incidents include medical care.

Firefighters will also train students to perform and teach hands-only CPR. Using portable mannequins donated by TVF&R, each student will commit to teaching five friends and family members this life-saving skill. Learning Hands-Only CPR helps kids become aware of the needs of others, provides them with pride in teaching others, and empowers them to help save a life.

This important partnership between Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue and the Beaverton School District helps strengthen the chain of survival in our community. TVF&R firefighter paramedics respond to more than 1,000 cardiac-related calls every year. Over the past several years, survival rates for cardiac arrest in TVF&R’s service area have ranged between 11 and 22 percent, surpassing the national average.

Knowing how to perform Hands-Only CPR is just the first step. TVF&R became the first fire department in Oregon to utilize a mobile app called PulsePoint that will notify subscribers of a cardiac arrest in a public place within ¼ mile radius of the subscriber. TVF&R EMS Chief Mark Stevens states, “Sudden cardiac arrest can strike anyone, anywhere, anytime. If CPR is provided right away, it doubles or triples the survival rate – a cardiac victim’s survival depends on the people around them.”