Eleven newly hired switchmen will receive CPR training as part of their onboarding in the coming months, giving them practical skills they can use if a medical emergency occurs.

Sergeant Mike Perry and Sergeant Thomas Aftanas, both CPR instructors, will lead the sessions, which are expected to take place by the end of September.

For Lieutenant Young Lee, the value of the training goes beyond certification. 

“Time is everything,” Lee said. “With instructing the employees out here, they know the basics, to identify if somebody is in distress, what to do until more help arrives.”

For Perry, teaching CPR is rewarding because the knowledge can be useful anywhere, not just on the job.

A team member could encounter a family member experiencing cardiac trouble, someone who has stopped breathing or a person who is choking. In those moments, having practiced the fundamentals can make it possible to provide assistance before an ambulance or other emergency personnel arrive.

“It might not be your co-worker; it could be a family member,” Perry said.