COLUMBUS, Ohio — In honor of National EMS Week, students at Woodward Park Middle School are learning life-saving skills from first responders and nurses.

What You Need To Know

  • May 19-25 is the 50th annual National EMS Week

  • The Columbus Division of Fire and Columbus City Schools nurses visited Woodward Park Middle School to teach them life-saving skills that EMS workers use daily

  • The students learned chest compression CPR, how to use an AED and how to stop someone from bleeding using a tourniquet or T-shirt

“Every kid should know how to do CPR,” said Stacey Wickham, senior consultant for trauma outreach for the OhioHealth Trauma Network.

The Columbus Division of Fire and Columbus City Schools nurses gave middle school students hands-on experience, learning chest compression CPR, how to use an AED and how to stop someone from bleeding. 

“If you see someone collapse, you call 911 and you do nothing else — there's only a 50% survival rate," said Tiffany Thomas, a firefighter and paramedic with the Columbus Division of Fire. "If you get down there and just do chest compressions. You are increasing the chances of survival infinitely until the time that the paramedics can arrive and continue the work."

As one of the CPR instructors, Thomas believes teaching people how to save a life needs to start at a young age. 

“I think the middle school is an excellent time to teach people what to look for, how to do chest compressions, the rates and what to sing in their head as they're doing chest compressions and especially just being comfortable to get involved,” said Thomas. 

Chest compressions and a tightly wrapped tourniquet are two simple skills that anyone can learn. 

“So teaching them how to apply pressure and stop bleeding until they can get help will help them save the lives of the people they're helping and other lives out in the community,” said Wickham. 

For Thomas, this training is personal and effective.  

“I’m a first responder. I'm a firefighter, and I'm a paramedic. So EMS is my life. It's my world. And it's incredibly fulfilling not only to do the work of helping to save lives, but also to teach how we can all be of service to each other,” said Thomas.