BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Key members of the American Heart Association, Kern High School District, and Chevron are convening for a press conference this afternoon to announce the launch of a new district-wide initiative to equip local high school students with the skills they need to save lives with CPR.
Chevron has sponsored the program, making it possible for each of the 18 high schools in Kern County to receive AHA CPR in Schools training kits. The kits teach lifesaving skills of CPR, AED use, and choking relief.
According to the AHA, about 40 people suffer cardiac arrests outside of a hospital every hour, and about nine of 10 do not survive. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a person's chances of survival.
The AHA has been leading the efforts to add more lifesavers to our communities by advocating for CPR training in schools.
Last September, Governor Jerry Brown signed a law that will require CPR training for a majority of the state's high school students, resulting in about 270,000 of the 377,000 California high school graduates getting trained in CPR each year.
More than 10,000 students will benefit from the program every year.
The press conference will be held today at 1 p.m. at Frontier High School.
