CPS teachers, students to receive CPR training under new Missouri law

Boone Hospital Center staff is providing CPR training to Columbia Public School health teachers Monday.

Under a new law, which was signed into legislation by Governor Nixon back in June, Missouri high school students are required to undergo thirty minutes of both CPR and Heimlich maneuvertraining before they can graduate. The measure will go into effect for the 2017-2018 school year.

While CPR training is already included in Columbia Public Schools’ curriculum, the new law will help provide additional resources, including a partnership with Boone Hospital. Under the partnership, Boone Hospital’s WELLAWARE and American Heart Association staff will be regularly attending CPS high school health classes to train students in CPR.

“It is never too early to learn and understand the importance of life saving CPR skills,” WELLAWARE Health Promotions Manager Jeff Zimmerman says. “That is why Boone Hospital Center WELLAWARE staff are excited to partner with Columbia Public Schools and the American Heart Association to not only met the requirements of the new bill, but to go beyond those requirements to teach and share this valuable information to the youth of our great community.”

Hospital officials are eager about how the law will impact the state of Missouri.

“I think it’s just going to make our communities healthier. You never know when you’re going to come upon the victim of a cardiac arrest,” Dr. Pamela Jones with Boone Hospital’s WELLAWARE program tells ABC 17 News.

If you’re interested in learning CPR, Boone Hospital also provides community training classes.