By James Cook
The Record-Eagle
SUTTONS BAY, Mich. 鈥� Lt. Josh Porter has done this quite a few times, but not quite like this.
The Bingham Township Fire & Rescue firefighter and paramedic does about three classes a month teaching methods for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED). He鈥檚 been with the department since 2006.
鈥淐oaches, but never a whole team,鈥� Porter said after finishing up the class. 鈥淎 lot of teachers and staff come through.鈥�
Twenty Norsemen football players and four coaches sat in a Bingham Township Fire Department a week before the season started for the class that took two hours and 15 minutes. Each received certification in CPR and AED use after completing the class.
鈥淚t鈥檚 good to learn this in case that ever happens,鈥� junior running back and cornerback Jackson Loucks said. 鈥淭hen you know these skills and can be able to help somebody. If I wasn鈥檛 on the football team, I probably wouldn鈥檛 have the opportunity to do something like this.鈥�
In the class run by Porter, the players learned from detailed instruction in CPR and using an AED 鈥� and the difference in techniques for treating adults and children.
鈥淚鈥檓 happy I learned all this because it鈥檚 super important,鈥� junior running back and defensive back Luke Bramer said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just nice to know in case of emergency and if anything happens. I鈥檓 glad we did this so I have the skills and knowledge to know how to do this.鈥�
Community risk reduction and improving mental health resources for providers
The Norsemen learned mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and how to use it in conjunction with CPR to aid a patient.
Suttons Bay head coach Garrick Opie said recent events such as last January鈥檚 collapse of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin on the field from cardiac arrest spurred the decision to add the training to the team鈥檚 preseason work.
鈥淚t definitely puts a pit in your stomach to think that anything like that could ever happen,鈥� Opie said. 鈥淭he more people that that know CPR and how to use an AED, the better off the world can be, because you never know when you鈥檙e going to run into a situation like that.鈥�
All Michigan High School Athletic Association varsity, junior varsity and freshmen head coaches are required to have valid current CPR certification.
鈥淓very year as coaches we go through CPR training and rules meetings,鈥� Opie said. 鈥淭his should be part of the norm as far as teams are concerned.鈥�
Having AEDs available throughout school buildings has become much more commonplace in recent years, and many teams even have a portable AED to take on the road.
Operating an AED is fairly simple, as the device typically talks the user through the steps to deliver an electric charge to the heart of a patient suffering from cardiac arrest, but Porter detailed how people administering CPR or AED assistance need to delegate tasks such as calling 911 and getting the AED while someone performs CPR.
CPR is much more involved, using varying techniques based on the patient鈥檚 responses, build and age.
鈥淚t鈥檚 probably one of the most important things we could do,鈥� Opie said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got a bunch of young men that we鈥檙e trying to make to be better human beings, not just football players. This is an important part of it when you can take responsibility for someone鈥檚 life and help somebody in need. It鈥檚 invaluable.鈥�
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