The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Division administers a countywide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Education Program which focuses on providing CPR training to targeted groups. The desired impact is to provide CPR training to citizens thus increasing the incidence of bystander initiated CPR and improving the chance of survival from cardiac arrest for citizens in King County.

The student CPR training program provides CPR Training to approximately 18,000 students in grades six through twelve each year in King County, excluding the Seattle School District. Seventeen school districts participate in the Student CPR Training Program, with the majority contracting with the EMS Division to provide funds for the program in their district. Approximately $48,000 annually is divided amongst all school districts to be used for:

• Training school teachers to be CPR instructors;
• Purchase of CPR equipment, audio visual aids and supplies;
• Providing CPR instructors from the community, if necessary

The program goal is to provide CPR training to students three times prior to graduation from high school. In some districts it is a required part of the student learning/objectives in the curriculum. The standard American Heart Association-approved curriculum is used.

The program emphasizes training the school teachers to become CPR instructors so they can provide the training to students in the classroom. Funds provided to each district are used to hire substitute teachers in order to allow the teachers to attend the two-day CPR instructor workshops provided by the EMS Division. Approximately 200 school teachers are actively participating in the program. A one-day re-certification workshop is required every two years.

Several school districts use the funds to bring in outside CPR instructors when teacher training is not feasible or to help support the teachers in the classroom.

Additional funds are used for program operations at the school level for the purchase of CPR training manikins, audiovisual aids and miscellaneous operating supplies.

If you are interested in developing a similar program in your area and no funds are available, a similar program could be established on a much smaller scale. We recommend recruiting school teachers to obtain the CPR instructor training on a volunteer basis and make arrangements to borrow training equipment and supplies from your local American Red Cross, American Heart Association or your local fire departments.

King County EMS is working with local cardiologists to offer at home CPR training to at-risk patients and their families. This program offers CPR training to people that are under a physician's care for a heart-related problem.

If you are interested in this free training and are under the care of a cardiologist, either you or your physician can contact the EMS Division at (206) 296-4693.

• Community Responder CPR-AED Program

The EMS Division sponsors an Employee CPR Training Program for King County employees, targeting employees who work directly with the public. King County Basic CPR and refresher classes are open to all employees and they are encouraged by the King County Executive to attend during work hours. Approximately 4,000 employees participate in this training annually.