FMU Campus Police and the Windy Hill Volunteer Fire Company trained resident assistants (RAs) in CPR and fire extinguisher usage to increase campus safety.

The training took place on Jan. 8 in Lowrimore Auditorium.

Sgt. Tracey Tolson and Sgt. Daniel Carmichael conducted the CPR training and concluded it with an opportunity for each RA to practice giving CPR in a simulated situation.

Moore and Resident Fire Marshall Chris Johnson of Windy Hill Volunteer Fire Company conducted the fire safety training. The fire safety training focused on the use of fire extinguishers. RAs were told what types of extinguishers should be used on different kinds of fires, how to check a fire extinguisher and were allowed to use one on a controlled fire in Parking Lot A.

Lt. Christopher Moore explained that training RAs in CPR and fire safety is important because they are a “force multiplier.” The more people who have CPR and fire extinguisher training, the more likely that one of those people will be present in the case of an emergency.

“It’s good for the resident assistants to know because they’re the ones on the ground,” Moore said.

Senior middle-level education major Joy Hamilton has been an RA for more than two years. Hamilton said that becoming CPR certified has prepared her to be a better RA because she now feels better prepared to help students.

“I’ve learned that CPR is actually needed by a resident assistant because not only are we there for duty or when there are noise complaints, but we are there for a student’s health as well,” Hamilton said. “I actually had a student who fell down on my hallway, and I wasn’t able to provide CPR because I wasn’t CPR certified. After this training, if something like that happened again, I would be able to help that student better.”

There are 36 RAs on campus. All RAs participated in fire safety training, and 21 participated in CPR training. Those who did not go through CPR training with Campus Police had previously received certification from another training provider.

The CPR training and certification concluded with an opportunity for each RA to practice giving CPR in a simulated situation.

This was the first year that FMU has provided RAs with CPR and fire safety training. According to Sgt. Tolson, CPR training usually costs between $50 and $75 per person, but FMU plans to continue providing CPR and fire safety training to RAs each year free of charge.

In the future Campus Police plans to offer CPR certification to FMU faculty. Campus Police also hopes to give more student organizations the opportunity to get CPR certified.