KISD staff gets required defibrillator training
By LESTER MURRAY news2@kilgorenewsherald.com

Michael Williams (left) shows Ronnie Hendricks (center) and Bobby Wheeley how to use the defibrillator. Placement of the pads and the readouts on the machine. Once used, new pads have to be ordered.

A law passed two years requires Texas school districts to maintain an automated external defibrillator on all campuses but didn't address the issue of training. A new rule now requires training.

Jerome Towns, director of special projects for Kilgore Independent School District, is responsible for setting up training classes like the one held Friday morning.

Two to three district employees from each campus will receive the training provided by Michael Williams, training center coordinator for Good Shepherd Hospital.

The training session will last approximately two hours and consist of a video, explanation of the device and procedural use, said Towns.

Williams said the machines are designed for use even by untrained persons. Once activated, the machine will "talk you through" the use of the device. "The machines are used in combination with CPR," said Williams. "Once you use the defibrillator and shock once, which is 200 joules (a joule is the energy required to produce a watt of electricity for a second), the machine will prompt you to start CPR for two minutes, then if no pulse is detected, a second shock will take place and this procedure will continue until the patient reaches a hospital."

In addition to the dozen district staffers taking the class Friday, nurses on each campus and coaches have already been trained on the device.

The defibrillators are much more affordable than when they first came out. "Defibrillators used to cost as much as $4800 per unit; now they cost between $1800 and $2500," said Williams.

Towns said once these personnel have been trained, re-training will take place as personnel leave the district or change campuses.

Williams said there has also been a few changes since defibrillators first came out and on CPR in general.

"It used to be that defibrillators could only be used on adults; now they can be used on children one year of age and older," said Williams. "Another change as of March of this year, CPR can be done by compressions only if the person has no training and observes the person go down."