Empowering girls to feel confident in emergencies

By Mary-Justine Lanyon
Editor

The multipurpose room at Mary Putnam Henck Intermediate School was buzzing with conversation as the girls who participate in Every Girl Counts enjoyed their snacks.

The program – sponsored by Soroptimist International of Rim of the World – helps the girls see themselves as strong young women, teaches them skills and exposes them to a variety of careers they may consider in the future.

 

As they finished their snacks at the Jan. 22 event, Soroptimist Cathy Kay told them about a hero the same age as these girls. Fourteen-year-old Avery Colbert, who lives in Pasadena, where her middle school burned down, was dismayed over the number of girls her age who had lost everything in the recent fires.

Avery started collecting clothing, makeup and hygiene items to distribute to the girls. Her Instagram post was seen by Prince Harry, Ariana Grande and Paris Hilton, leading to her gaining more than 20,000 followers. That led to several major brands donating new items to Avery’s project. Her goal was to donate new – not used – items to those in need. 

Kay told the girls she had done some research on what volunteering can do for you. “When you volunteer and give,” she said, “you get a sense of well-being. You gain an internal reward. By volunteering, you boost happiness.

“It’s amazing what you can do with one good idea,” Kay said. “Heroes are born every minute.”

It was then time to get up and get moving. Lupe McDonald, who is coordinating Every Girl Counts this year, taught the girls a line dance. As they repeated the movements to McDonald’s instructions, the dance came together. Finally, they were ready for some music: “Cotton-Eye Joe.” Several of the Soroptimists joined the girls as they glided over the floor.

Cheryl Robinson then introduced that day’s speaker: Kady Fox RN, who has been a nurse for more than 15 years. She is currently the education manager at Mountains Community Hospital.  She was there that day to teach the girls about CPR and first aid.

When Fox asked if any of the girls know what CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is, several hands went up. She explained you pump the chest to move blood and oxygen through the body. She brought with her a number of mannequins for the girls to practice on.

Why are CPR and first aid important? she asked the girls. Emergencies can happen anywhere and you may be the only person there to help. Quick actions can save lives.

It’s important to know when to use CPR: When someone isn’t breathing, has no pulse and is unresponsive. 

The first step, Fox said, is to check if the person is responsive or not. Tap them and ask if they are OK. Then call 911 yourself or have someone else make the call. And then begin chest compressions: Put your hands in the center of the chest, push hard and fast – 100 to 120 beats per minute. Fox suggested singing either “Baby Shark” or “Stayin’ Alive” as both have the right beat for the compressions.

 

The girls then had the opportunity to try their hand at CPR on the mannequins. 

What if you encounter someone experiencing a choking emergency? They can’t speak or breathe or might be clutching their throat. That’s when you help by performing abdominal thrusts – the Heimlich maneuver.

Fox also reviewed some first aid for minor injuries. 

For cuts and scrapes, wash the wound with soap and water, apply pressure to stop any bleeding and apply a bandage. For burns, cool them with water (no ice) and cover them loosely with a clean cloth. For nosebleeds, pinch the nose just below the bridge and lean forward.

As Fox wrapped up her presentation – which also included how and when to use an EpiPen – she told the girls it is important for them to stay calm in an emergency, to call for help and to take action safely.

“Thank you for being heroes,” she told the girls.