On Wednesday, March 12, nine TGS students, faculty and staff attended a CPR training class at IMG_6126the Georgetown Fire Department. They learned how to perform CPR and choking intervention on adults, children, and infants.  The class was led by Lt. Ken Taylor, a mustachioed firefighter who works for the Georgetown Fire Department, and who incidentally tells lots of funny jokes.  He was assisted by Senior Firefighter Kevin Ettenger, who also kept us laughing.  As we sat down for our class, a call came in to the fire station, indicating an emergency at 1200 Highmarket Street (the address of our school).  Luckily, we found out that it was only a test and the school was not on fire. Throughout the afternoon, we worked in stages, with video training preceding practice on dummies.  The dummies represented the head and chest of adults, children, and infants, but they looked pretty creepy.  Most of the dummies were a grayish-white color with a blue chest, and the babies had “skin” instead of eyes.  We had to kneel on the floor and push on the chest of the dummies, give them breaths (through a mask), and, with the babies, stop them from choking. IMG_6175 (1)The class concluded with a practical test.  Ken proposed a scenario involving a “granny” who had collapsed in the supermarket aisle.  When it was Joe’s turn, he ran over to the dummy, crying out, “Grandma, you’re a man!”  Everyone passed the practical test, and on our way out we got a tour of the fire station, complete with Ken sliding down the fire pole for us.  Top said, “This was a valuable and positive experience,” and Mrs. Sweitzer said, “Those guys were so nice-they made it fun for everyone.”  Thank you to the Georgetown Fire Department and thank you to P.T.O. president Laura Lee for arranging the training.