Photo by LANCE SHEARER
Fire Inspector John Armstrong practices chest compressions in the Fire Dept. training room at Marco's fire station on San Marco Road. The city is launching a program to train all employees in CPR.
Mike Murphy, Marco Island Fire Rescue Chief
Marco Island Fire-Rescue Dept. Division Chief Don Jones teaches CPR at the inaugural session of the city's program to train all employees in the technique.
Photo by LANCE SHEARER
Special to the Eagle
Fire Inspector John Armstrong practices chest compressions in the Fire Dept. training room at Marco's fire station on San Marco Road. The city is launching a program to train all employees in CPR.
MARCO ISLAND — Marco Island Fire-Rescue Chief Michael Murphy was sitting in his office at the fire station on San Marco Road, explaining why the city’s new program to train all 206 city employees in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, is an important enhancement for the citizens of Marco.
With a sudden summer storm coming onshore from the Gulf, he was also monitoring the radio, following the situation as firefighters worked several emergency calls, including a person stranded on Sand Dollar Island, a medical emergency, and two downed power lines.
“This affords you the opportunity to save a life,” he said. “I’m told for those who have done it, and had the patient come back, there is no greater feeling of satisfaction than to know you’ve brought a person back to life. We are going to put these tools in the hands of our employees.”
Chief Murphy made the point that learning CPR is easy and inexpensive, and is valuable, not only for city employees, but for anyone, since there is no way to know when or for whom the procedure might be necessary.
“All individuals should learn CPR, for the sake of their family plus the general public,” he said. “We have had a number of cases since I’ve been on Marco where CPR was already in progress when our people arrived on the scene, and documented cases — at least half a dozen — where outside individuals have used AEDs successfully.”
Look at the flip side, he pointed out. “Lack of training places you in a situation where you’re left wondering if there’s something you could have done. Is it worth three hours of your time to have the knowledge and skills to make a difference?”
At that moment, another call came over the two-way radio, dramatically demonstrating Murphy’s point. Collier deputies and EMTs were dispatched to a convenience store, where a 911 call indicated a one-year-old toddler had stopped breathing.
“That child’s chances go up significantly if someone there knows CPR,” commented the Chief.
Marco Island held the first class of approximately a dozen employees on Monday, June 22, starting at the top with City Manager Steve Thompson, directors and department heads. City Councilor Frank Recker also took the course, which covered use of the automated external defibrillator or AED as well as CPR.
The training was conducted by fire department division chief Don Jones.
“He worked us pretty hard,” said community services director Steve Olmsted, part of the initial group.
It will take a year or more for all city employees to be trained, but now is an ideal time to start, said Murphy.
“Summer is a good time for this. It’s difficult during the season, when everyone is so busy.”
Survival rates for victims who stop breathing go up dramatically when CPR is started within three to five minutes of the patient being stricken, according to the American Heart Association.
“In cities such as Seattle, where CPR training is widespread and EMS response time is short, the survival rate for witnessed VF (ventricular fibrillation) cardiac arrest is about 30 percent,” states the AHA Web site.
“In cities such as New York City, where few victims receive bystander CPR and time to EMS response and defibrillation is longer, survival from sudden cardiac arrest averages one to two percent.”
The City of Marco Island has AEDs at Mackle Park, the council chambers, and the municipal tennis courts. All police and fire-rescue vehicles and boats have more sophisticated EKG machines, which also have AED capability.
Chief Murphy invited the public to call the Marco Island Fire-Rescue Department at 389-5040 for information about locally available CPR training for the public.
“There are a lot of courses. We can put them in touch with reputable regional training centers nearby,” he said, including those given at Physicians’ Regional Medical Center on 951. “The average cost is about $25.”
Techniques have been updated over the years, both in a professional and layperson setting, he said, placing more emphasis on chest compressions than mouth-to-mouth breathing. To remain current, CPR certification should be renewed annually or bi-annually.
As Murphy pointed out that the city’s training will cost the taxpayers very little, involving only staff time, and re-using the books and training mannequins, the radio crackled to life again, with a happy ending. Deputies had arrived at the convenience story, the child had resumed breathing, and EMTs were minutes away. “EMTs inbound,” said the dispatcher. “Keep them coming?”
“Keep them coming,” responded the voice of the deputy.
When this situation arises on Marco in the future, said Chief Murphy, on an island that has up to 40,000, with visitors and daily traffic, we’ll have 206 more trained people ready to pitch in.
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