Central Wisconsin Fire Department CPR Challenge A Success

In February, two central Wisconsin fire departments, Wausau and Stevens Point, issued a friendly challenge to see which department could train the most participants in hands-only CPR during the month of March. Their goal was 500 per department. When AED Superstore heard about the challenge we decided to champion the cause by donating manikins and other critical training supplies. AED Superstore also offered a free AED to each department if they met their goals.  

Not only did they meet their individual department goals, they exceeded them by a wide margin! Wausau trained 2,225, and Stevens Point trained 1,350. This means those areas now have 3,575 people trained in CPR! They also raised $4,300 and placed three AEDs in their communities.  The money will support the St. Michael’s Foundation, St. Clare’s Foundation, American Heart Association, and American Red Cross.

On April 26, 2016, at Wausau West High School, these two departments were recognized for their achievements by Wausau Mayor Robert Mielke and Stevens Point Mayor Mike Wiza, along with Wisconsin Senator Jerry Petrowski. At this same event, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signed Senator Petrowski’s CPR Act 390 which, according to the Governor’s website, requires all Wisconsin schools “to provide instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and cardio-cerebral resuscitation (CCR) in health education courses offered to students in grades 7 to 12. It additionally requires students to be instructed on how to use automated external defibrillators. The bill was authored by Representative John Spiros (R-Marshfield) and Senator Jerry Petrowski (R-Marathon).”

After the event, AED Superstore representatives Amber Neller and Sara Olson presented Wausau fire chief Scott Habeck and Stevens Point Fire Chief Joe Gemza with Philips HeartStart OnSite AEDs. These AEDs were, in turn, donated by the fire departments to St. Michael’s Foundation and St. Clare’s Foundation.