Houston High School Students Donate CPR Training Kiosk to Germantown Fire Department

Students from Houston High School have stepped up to the plate, not with an ambitious science fair project or hefty college applications, but with a lifesaving gift to the Germantown Fire Department—a CPR training kiosk. The donation comes courtesy of the high school's Houston Hearts club, which consists of 100 students focused on teaching vital heart health and CPR knowledge to their peers and the broader Germantown community, as reported by the city's official news outlet. "This is a club at Houston where we teach CPR sessions, and we go all around Germantown," senior Annie Phillips, president of Houston Hearts, emphasized the importance of CPR training to the local news.

The addition of the kiosk is a valiant effort in Germantown's pursuit of becoming a designated HEARTSafe Community, an official recognition aimed at boosting survival rates for sudden cardiac arrest victims through CPR readiness and public education; this encompasses widespread training, increased access to AEDs, and awareness campaigns fostered by collaboration among various stakeholders, emergency responders, and healthcare professionals—the kiosk as an instrument is adorned with photos and a QR code for CPR guidance but it isn't only a standalone solution. Fire Chief Eric Grizzard praised the cross-generational involvement, asserting "Young people in this city are the future of this city, and they can also help us spread the message for all the different age groups within the City," as he told the city's official news outlet.

The city's EMS personnel anxiously respond to approximately 45 to 60 cardiac calls annually, and while they boast an impressive six-minute average response time, the need for immediate action by bystanders can be pivotal—the new training kiosk, abetted by Houston Hearts’ educational drive, seeks to bridge that gap. "Bystander CPR is the most impactful link in the survival chain," said Jerome Cole, EMS Chief, underscoring the potential impact bystander CPR can have on enhancing survival rates, a sentiment he shared with City of Germantown News . Germantown’s goal, to train 6,000 residents annually, is a cornerstone of their mission to become a healthier, and more resilient city through HEARTSafe designation.

Andrew Martin, health director for Germantown Municipal School District, called the kiosk a valuable resource, saying, “This is a resource we wanted to give to the community.” His words reflect the district’s commitment to the HEARTSafe initiative and public health.