Follow the Heartbeat: Stayin’ Alive
American Heart Association “Life is why,” is a phrase that is frequently shared on February. February is federally designated to be the American Heart Awareness Month. During this month, the association promotes healthy lifestyles and encourages individuals to attend CPR training courses.
Health Quest is a Hudson Valley based family of combined hospitals and healthcare providers bringing medical and surgical services. Their website is always updated with new information about events they are hosting and locations. They have had many events and courses dedicated for the heart month.
One of Health Quest’s courses for the heart month was held on Saturday morning at Vassar Brothers Medical Hospital. The course was Family and Friend’s CPR which was an orientation to CPR, and it wasn’t a certifying course. The course was free for all participants because its heart month. The course being offered for free has attracted more people from the Dutchess community to join. Eighteen people signed up for the course, and according to the instructors it was more than the usual number of people who sign up for CPR orientation courses.
“Good quality CPR saves lives, and I want to save lives,” is the motto which the CPR instructor, Andy Diluvio, lives by. Diluvio started teaching CPR courses in 1970, and he teaches them now as a part time. He was the instructor for the Family & Friends CPR course at Vassar Brothers Medical Hospital, and he taught alongside Matthew Fremer and George Carrozzelli as co instructors for the course.
Diluvio was a victim of cardiac arrest, and he was lucky enough to have people who knew what to do around him. Diluvio said, “I know we can’t save everyone, but I don’t like 0. Anything but that. Give a person a chance like the one I got.” He explained that he has a real passion for his job, and he doesn’t see it as a job. He said, “I retired years ago, and one thing I believe in is that when you retire you should find something you like and enjoy doing, but you don’t have to do it.”
Instructor Matthew Fremer described that Dutchess County has the slowest response time for help. It usually takes 15–20 minutes for help to arrive, and he said Beacon has the fastest response time which is 6–8 minutes. Fremer said, “I’m motivated to teach this course because I can show many people how they can help in case of an emergency, and they will end up saving someone. I also teach my own children, so I can prepare them.”
The course was hands-on and engaging for all the participants. Everyone was extremely focused and asked the instructors many questions. The participants watched tutorial videos and were handed manuals all made and provided by the American Heart Association. One of the course attendees, Margaret Benante, appreciated the course and the work the instructors presented. Benante said, “This course was very useful and it’s something beneficial for everyone to learn. You learn how to save a person’s life, and there is nothing better than that.”
All three instructors agreed that they love what they are doing, and they like giving back to their community. Diluvio said, “Everyone is capable of making a difference and saving someone’s life one way or another, and it’s better than not trying at all.”
