ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Fire Department certified 50 young adults in CPR at no cost as part of the Orlando Fire Teen Academy, a weeklong program introducing high school students to the fire service.
Participants, ages 14–17, took part in a full CPR certification course designed to prepare them to respond to cardiac arrest emergencies and provide lifesaving care before first responders arrive.
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The multi-hour course covered chest compressions, rescue breaths, and proper use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) for both adults and infants.
“It’s been very fun, very fun. Very exhausting,” 15-year-old Olivia Thomas told News 6.
“It’s good to practice, it’s good to keep practicing every chance you get.”
The course is conducted through the city’s Take Heart Orlando program, which offers free hands-only CPR training to all city residents and certified CPR courses at a discounted rate.
Every minute without CPR decreases a cardiac arrest patient’s chance of survival by 10%. On average, first responders arrive on scene within four to six minutes, reducing a patient’s survival rate to between 40% and 60% without bystander CPR.
“If we get more people hands-only CPR or learn CPR in general, that would make for a safer city,” Orlando Fire Department Public Information Officer Jesse Canales said.
Beyond CPR, Teen Academy students will receive Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training, including participation in a mock disaster scenario where they can apply the skills they’ve learned.
CERT members are trained in disaster response techniques including light search and rescue, fire safety, basic first aid, CPR, and Stop the Bleed.
After finishing the course, participants received CPR certification valid for two years.
“It’s great because you never know what can happen. It could be you and your friends somewhere, it could be you and a whole group of people, and you’re the only one who knows CPR, so it’s good to be certified and know how to save someone’s life,” Thomas said.