CPR classes at Valley Forge Baptist Temple

More than 90 parishioners and members of the community attended the classes held on Saturday, Feb. 12, at the Valley Forge Baptist Temple. Jim Spaulding, president of Cardiac Care & Safety, Abington, led the classes and certifications. Spaulding and his staff fully detailed all current methods of administering effective CPR to adults and children. Primary information included current revisions by the America Heart Association. The class also included how to properly use an automated external defibrillator (AED), which the church has on site.

“The CPR class is very important to our church family. We have over 1,000 people here every Sunday and we have a Christian school of over 300 students. Even though we have many doctors, nurses and EMTs in our church, we still want them to have the confidence that if they came across a crisis situation they will know how to respond properly,” said Pastor Scott Wendal.

. Jeremy Bacon, 7, started choking on a marshmallow while playing Chubby Bunny, a game that requires speaking with a mouthful of marshmallows. Jeremy and his father, Charles, were outside the temple after service when the choking incident happened. Jeremy’s father rushed him into the church and after many attempts was saved using the Heimlich maneuver administered by fellow church members, Emily and Mike Connolly. That same day, Pastor Wendal scheduled the classes.

David and Stephanie Calamaro, of East Coventry, attended the classes for very important reasons. “My job working with kids requires me to be up to date with CPR standards, as well as wanting to be prepared to help our own families,” said Stephanie.
David added, “We were considering CPR training and ever since Jeremy’s choking incident, we knew we had to put this on the front burner.”

For more information on how to get your group or organization certified, please go to Cardiac Care and Safety.

Get information on updated standards implemented by the American Heart Association.

is offering a CPR class Saturday, March 26, from 9 a.m. to noon. Participants will learn how to help someone who is choking, adult, child and infant CPR and how to use an automated external defribrillator (AED).
The cost is $50 per person; students will receive a certification card that is good for two years.
Call 610-489-2700, ext. 503, to sign up.