LSU empowers community with life-saving CPR and AED skills

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — October is Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month, and LSU is making sure its campus community is ready to respond in an emergency.

Students, faculty, and staff gathered at the Ochsner Wellness Center for hands-on CPR and AED training, learning skills that could mean the difference between life and death.

“About 70% of the time, an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest occurs at home. It’s typically going to be someone you know, someone you love, and CPR often hasn’t been started when EMS arrives,” said Michelle Temple, co-founder of Gray’s Army Foundation. “Even if you’re doing just hands-only CPR compressions, you’re giving that person a chance at survival.”

Temple started Gray’s Army in memory of her 16-year-old son, Grayson, who passed away from sudden cardiac arrest. She’s now using her family’s story to inspire others to learn life-saving techniques.

“Sudden cardiac arrest is the number one cause of death in student athletes,” Temple added. “And it’s becoming increasingly common not just in athletes, but in young people ages 10 to 21.”

In addition to CPR and AED demonstrations, participants learned bleeding control techniques and how to administer Narcan, an emergency medication that can reverse opioid overdoses.

“We have a large campus with more than 33,000 people,” said Keith Thompson with LSU’s School of Kinesiology. “For students to be able to recognize someone in need and know how to initiate care is very valuable.”

Community partners, including East Baton Rouge EMS, Gray’s Army Foundation, and Cardiac Solutions, provided demonstrations, resources, and answers to questions.

Organizers say even a few minutes of training can help turn bystanders into first responders. For more information about free CPR and AED training opportunities through Gray’s Army, visit here.

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