Tools to save a life: NOLA students receive CPR kits from American Heart Association

METAIRIE, La. (WGNO) — More than 50,000 students in the Greater New Orleans area will learn the skills needed to save a life thanks to a donation from the American Heart Association and local businesses.

On Wednesday morning, nearly 70 demonstration kits to teach kids how to administer CPR were donated to schools across the area. This included St. Therese Academy in Metairie, where a training session was held to show students how to become a lifesaver.

“This is really going to allow our students to be able to get certified because not only will they have the kits and experience, but we can use the kits to go a step further and get them out into the workforce and have that with them,” Head of School Shannon Bland explained.

In 2014, it became a requirement for Louisiana students to learn how to perform CPR and use a defibrillator prior to graduating high school. The partnership with area businesses helps the AHA take the burden off of schools.

And if you’re thinking of learning CPR yourself, here are two steps to save a life in an emergency:

1. Call 911 (or assign someone to make the call)
2. Push hard and fast in the center of the chest