Bend Fire Department begins free CPR classes

For firefighters, saving lives is part of the job. But now the Bend Fire Department wants to teach the community to do the same.

“Having the public start CPR the minute they recognize it’s cardiac arrest is key to people going home to their families,” said Petar Hossick, an engineer and paramedic with the department.

The hour-long course that started Wednesday evening teaches interested citizens to recognize and help victims of cardiac arrest.

“We thought it was a great idea, not just for our family members, but just as a responsible community member, to be aware of how CPR works and how effective it really is,” said participant Ric DeMarco.

“What I learned tonight is, compression CPR saves people’s lives,” DeMarco said.

The goal is to teach bystanders to administer hands-only CPR, something Hossick said is a game-changer.

“We know that every single minute your heart’s not beating is time against you,” he said. “If we reach the six- to 10-minute mark, we start getting brain damage that’s irreversible.”

DeMarco said he would recommend the class to others.

“At least knowing the mechanics and how to execute it gives me a ton of confidence to be able to act in those situations,” he said.

The department is also excited to add a new tool to work in conjunction with these classes.

“Pulse Point (is a) cell phone app that basically notifies you if you’re close to a public cardiac arrest. So, within about a quarter mile, your phone will go off telling you there’s a cardiac arrest close to you,” Hossick said.

After the training course, the class is invited to get the app and monitor Bend Fire for alerts.

The free classes are every first Wednesday of the month. Call the Bend Fire Department to make an appointment, at 541-322-6300. You can find the PulsePoint app for your phone on iTunes or Google Play.