On today’s episode of Child Safety Source, we’re speaking with Jenn Richardson. Our regular listeners should be quite familiar with our mission. Eric Lupton, Life Saver Pool Fence’s president, loves to chat with water safety experts and concerned parents. Together, Eric and his interview subjects share a common goal: to help keep children safe from unexpected drowning hazards. It doesn’t matter whether that hazard is a pool, a hot tub, or boating. Parents and guardians need to be vigilant.
As we mentioned, today Eric is sitting down with Jenn Richardson! Jenn is a mom of three awesome children, a Certified ISR instructor, an A.H.A. BLS Healthcare Provider and a Red Cross Water Safety Instructor.
As you’ll learn in this video, she really knows her stuff!
Let’s Talk about ISR
During this interview, Jenn Richardson brought up her Infant Swimming Resource, or ISR, training. Here at Life Saver Pool Fence, we’re big supporters of traditional swimming lessons and ISR.
ISR is a lifesaving discipline. Typically, it provides each child with specialized one-on-one attention. In fact, these lessons are customized to the developmental level of each individual child. It’s a very effective way to keep very young children safer in the water.
- Babies who are between 6 months and 1year old will learn to:
- hold their breath underwater
- roll onto their back to float
- rest and breathe without panicking.
- Once children are able to walk, usually at around 1-to-6-years of age, instruction can become more advanced. In addition to the earlier lessons, they’ll learn to:
- swim with their head down and their eyes open
- roll onto their backs to float, rest and breathe, then resume swimming until they reach the side of the pool or are rescued.
To learn more about Infant Swimming Resource, be sure to visit the official website.
Finally, we’d love to give a special thanks to Jenn Richardson for taking the time to speak with us. This was a fun and informative interview and a great value for our viewers!
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Below is a direct transcript of the Child Safety Source interview with Jenn Richardson from July 27th, 2018:
Episode 26 – Jenn Richardson
Interviewer: And we’re live on the internet. Hi.
Jenn Richardson: Hi.
Interviewer: How is it going?
Jenn: Good. How are you?
Interviewer: Fantastic. You weren’t just talking for like ten minutes.
Jenn: I know, right?
Interviewer: Yeah. So, you’re Jenn?
Jenn: I’m Jenn, nice to meet you all.
Interviewer: And you are an ISR instructor and teach CPR?
Jenn: Yes.
Interviewer: And all kinds of other awesome things?
Jenn: Lots of things.
Interviewer: Lots of things. Mostly just CPR?
Jenn: Mostly CPR and ISR.
Interviewer: And we’ve done a lot, and we’ve already with a bunch of ISR instructors, which is really cool. And we’re here buy the way, we are at Jenn’s place in [inaudible 00:00:42], at [inaudible 00:00:44]? One thousand…?
Jenn: North West First Avenue, specialized swim and wellness.
Interviewer: Really nice.
Jenn: Yes.
Interviewer: And they have a pool fence blocking the entry, which was really cool. I was excited about that. And you teach [inaudible 00:00:54], right?
Jenn: I do, I do teach. I started full time.
Interviewer: Nice, awesome. And it’s probably like a warehouse, which would [inaudible 00:01:00] toward the end, but it is a neat set up. They’ve taken like this warehouse, kind of like what we make pool fence, literally. And it also have a ground pool in the middle and they made it all pretty, you got the little sitting area.
Jenn: And a play area for the kids.
Interviewer: Right.
Jenn: Keep them busy; siblings.
Interviewer: Exactly. And you’re doing the watermelon drive today?
Jenn: We are doing our watermelons for water safety. Come by and see us.
Interviewer: Nice. So for anybody who doesn’t know, what is the deal with that?
Jenn: Watermelons for water safety is…all the proceeds goes to the foundation. And if you’re not familiar with the foundation; [Keri Moore] started it, I think four years ago, maybe five after her son Jake lost his life. And turned her pain into a passion and now provides full lessons to anyone who can’t afford it and help moms and families after an event of a drowning to go through it with financial expenses and everything. I love them.
Interviewer: Awesome. But she also give away [inaudible 00:01:57] too.
Jenn: Yeah. She’s awesome, she’s amazing.
Interviewer: So, we’re hoping that the Life Saver Pool Events becomes the other [inaudible 00:02:06] with [inaudible 00:02:05] lessons. So, if someone experiences a fatal or non-fatal drowning, they get lessons and a removable pool fence at the same time.
Jenn: And a pool fence. Yeah. The team has to be that way.
Interviewer: Right because there’s protection…
Jenn: Exactly. It needs to be that way. Layers of protection is so important, because they do break down and it happens in twenty one seconds, that’s all it takes for a child to drown. That’s picking up your phone and checking your Facebook for… just a scroll. Or picking up a phone call or going to the bathroom.
Interviewer: Or sneezing a few times.
Jenn: Sneezing a few times. Exactly.
Interviewer: Twenty-one seconds is nothing.
Jenn: Exactly. If they slip your supervision, it’s that quickly that it happens, and there’s no sound, it’s not like what we see in the movies, “help me!”
Interviewer: Do they watch drowning?
Jenn: Yeah, it doesn’t happen like that, it’s very silent and the kids just don’t [move right], it’s scary.
Interviewer: Yeah. I always tell people that if you have a story and I’ve said this way too many times, I’m sorry for [inaudible 00:03:01] times. But if you a story about your kid drawing a crayon mural on the wall or cutting all of her hair off, or covering themselves in peanut butter, that there was a lapse in supervision and if you didn’t have a pool fence or locks, alarms or [ISR] lessons, then you just got lucky they didn’t go outside.
Jenn: Absolutely. That’s really a good point. I mean, I can’t tell you how many times I found my boys hiding in a closet with a marker from head to toe. And I’m like “what’s going on in here?”
Interviewer: Exactly.
Jenn: Imagine, that’s true.
Interviewer: Everybody has a hilarious story of their kids get to do something crazy.
Jenn: Yeah. And then there’s a way to connect too; because when you think of it that way, it’s… but I remember [inaudible 00:03:39]. I’m like, “Oh, my Gosh, [inaudible 00:03:41]”.
Interviewer: Everyone’s like, “Oh, I always watch my kids, I’m good”.
Jenn: Yeah.
Interviewer: Do you… like you’ve never found your kid covered in toilet paper and flour?
Jenn: Absolutely. And if they’ve never gotten into anything that you don’t remember? Yeah, that’s so true.
Interviewer: Yes. You just got lucky they chose peanut butter that day and not….
Jenn: Something outside.
Interviewer: Yeah.
Jenn: O wow, that’s a good way to put it, I’m going to start using that.
Interviewer: There you go. And the layers of protection, I have to say this as often as possible. So, we point the term “layers of protection” in ‘1987’.
Jenn: Oh, really?
Interviewer: Yeah. My dad is part of Life Saver, wrote a book called, “summertime fun, year round danger: using layers of protection to practical your pool.”
Jenn: That’s cool.
Interviewer: And that’s where the phrase came from.
Jenn: Oh, wow, and we use it religiously.
Interviewer: Everyone does, it caught on, which is very cool.
Jenn: That is super cool, I like that.
Interviewer: I get excited by saying it.
Jenn: Yeah, yeah. I use it in everything; even in my CPR classes, I’m always talking about the layers of protection and how they do break down. Although you get a lot of people that say, “Oh, that won’t happen to me, I’m around my child all the time”. But it’s really not realistic, we’re not around our children at all times and twenty- one seconds is fast.
Interviewer: It’s fast. And you have the stats where most kids who drown weren’t near the pool….
Jenn: Right.
Interviewer: There was one study that says seventy- seven percent will last even five minutes before being found in the pool. And then you have other studies that show that a lot were in their room sleeping.
Jenn: Exactly.
Interviewer: So, you can imagine this scenario; you go check on your kid, you leave for five minutes, they’re in their room sleeping, which would be good for hours….
Jenn: And they climbed out…
Interviewer: Yeah. So, no parent could possibly prevent… I mean, it’s impossible that…
Jenn: We can’t, we’re not perfect and it’s okay not to be perfect.
Interviewer: And there is only one of you or two.
Jenn: Yeah, exactly.
Interviewer: One and half.
Jenn: You know, one and a half.
Interviewer: Yeah. And if you wanted to add, it’s probably like 1.5.
Jenn: Yeah, I know, big kid. I got me a big kid too.
Interviewer: You got to watch him as well.
Jenn: I do have to watch him, he’s a little you know….
Interviewer: Make sure he doesn’t covers himself in marker or peanut butter.
Jenn: Join the kids in the closet.
Interviewer: Right, exactly. [Inaudible 00:05:40] marker too, that’s….
Jenn: What’s going on?
Interviewer: So, what is CPR?
Jenn: CPR is on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. And that’s to jump start the heart, so when someone’s heart has stopped, they’re in cardiac arrest, they’re no longer breathing, there’s no heartbeat and at that point we need to get that heartbeat going. And what we can do is bystanders is immediately perform a CPR on them do you want me to demonstrate?
Interviewer: That would be cool if you did. Why not? Sure, go for it.
Jenn: [inaudible 00:06:11]. Alright, so I found this gentleman down on the floor and I’m not sure what’s going on. The first thing I’m going to do, is I’m going to ask him, “hey, are you okay?” at this time I look for any chest movement, any [inaudible 00:06:28] in the face. The [final] thing, I need to check on that pulse [inaudible 00:06:31]. I’m never going to spend more than ten seconds checking for the pulse. I [inaudible 00:06:36] the pulse, I’m going to follow the natural line in the center of the chest, take [inaudible 00:06:41] with my hand place it right in the center take the other hand [inaudible 00:06:45]. Now these fingers aren’t resting down on the body, because that may restrict blood flow; we need as much blood flow as we possibly can going through that body.
And we’re going to [inaudible 00:06:53], brace myself over. And I’m looking about three to five inches, I’m not actually looking at the person, I’m looking over at his [inaudible 00:07:01], as much strength in my hands as I possibly can to go two and a half inches deep within their chest. And we’re going to do just a couple of compressions so you can see. And we’re going to push: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten….alright. And what I’ll do is tilt his head back.
Now, when I’m giving breaths, I’m going pinch the nose, put these fingers on the top to hold the forehead back. These two fingers to pinch the nose and these fingers are always going to be on the jawline, closest to you. You don’t want to reach across the person, because you may block their airway. So, fingers are closest to your body. You’re going to go and get two nice breaths…. [Blowing breaths]. And immediately begin your compressions again.
Now, say I feel like I didn’t give effective breaths on that last sound, I’m now going to go back for third breaths. I’m just [inaudible 00:07:57] correctly the next time around. So, I’m going to apply my [inaudible 00:08:01] compressions, do my two breaths and I’m going to complete the cycle five times before checking for a pulse [inaudible 00:08:07]. Now, if this was a drowning, it’s done a little bit differently. Say if a person and a child is in the water lifeless, what I would do is immediately apply rescue breaths; even while I’m still in the shallow end of the water holding the person in my hand. I would hold them, pull their head back…. Now, if I can’t get a good pinch on the nose while blowing in, I’m going to just cover the nose and their mouth with my mouth. So, I’m going to get to seal here, I’m going to blow into the nose and mouth. [Blowing]….
It’s going to be five blows for us. I’m out of the water, I’m not pulling them down. And there is no counting in an event of a drowning. Once you have the [inaudible 00:08:57], once you start the compressions, the body is going to start expelling water. So, you can’t go back and give breaths, you have to wait until the water is completely out before you start with [inaudible 00:09:08] and two compressions. So, I’m not counting, I’m just going to actually keep my compressions slowly until all the water is coughing out [inaudible 00:0:16]. Once the water starts coming out of the mouth, then I’m going to do about thirty compressions, two breaths and do that effectively.
Interviewer: What about for a baby?
Jenn: Infant is a little different when you’re giving them compressions. You’re going to put them on a hard, flat surface up on your level. So, a coffee table, a countertop, anything that’s a nice hard flat surface.
Interviewer: Why on the level as opposed to on the ground?
Jenn: Because you’re using a little bit too much strength when you put them down on the ground. Because when we’re down on the ground, we naturally are stronger than we are…
Interviewer: There’s a lot of [inaudible 00:09:48] ….
Jenn: Yeah. But when we’re up on the level, we’re applying just enough to get through the [inaudible 00:09:54]. We don’t want to push down too hard on our little infants, because they are so squishy [inaudible 00:09:58]. So, if I had a coffee table or a countertop there in front of me, I would place them right on the countertop. I’m just going to sit down [inaudible 00:10:07]…. On that hard flat surface. And it’s the same again; we’re going to go into the natural nipple line in the center. With your in finger you’re going to use your two fingers and you’re going to push two inches deep within their chest. So, this isn’t a typical infant, think about two inches within that chest. You’re pushing down that far within the chest in order to push that heart down, so it can suck up the blood and push it back out.
Interviewer: Like half way, almost?
Jenn: Yeah, yeah. Halfway through that little body, can you imagine? So, I’m going to do thirty compressions in the natural nipple line to the center of the chest. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight…. ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty… twenty-two, twenty- three, twenty- four, twenty- five, twenty- six, twenty- seven, twenty- eight, twenty- nine, thirty. When I give my compressions too, it’s really important to allow the chest to completely recoil in between each compression. So, I do a slight bounce off of the chest where it’s just going to stay in contact, I’m not applying pressure the whole time, because that again, we’re restricting that blood flow and we want as much blood flow going through that body as we possibly can give them. So, when I’m going down with the compression- one, in between, I’m not pushing down at all, it’s just skin to skin contact.
When you’re giving your infants your breaths, you’re going to tilt the head back and you’re going to cover the nose and the mouth with your mouth. You’re never going to pinch an infant’s nose; their nose is so close to their little lips that’s pinching and getting a good seal isn’t very effective. So, you want to make sure you cover the nose and the mouth with your mouth.
Now an important things in this video, is I’m giving her compressions on my legs, but each time I push down she’s dancing off of my legs, because she needs that hard surface. So, I’m not actually getting as far as I need to go because she’s on my thighs. So, keep in mind that you need that nice hard flat surface.
Interviewer: Very cool. And the same number is thirty and then five, and then thirty?
Jenn: Yeah, yeah. It’s thirty compressions, two breaths, you do a cycle of five before you check for the pulse again. Infants are a little different though, so say I found my infant on the grounds…. For me, when I see an infant on the ground, their hearts are monitored and [inaudible 00:12:12] almost several times, anytime they get an ultrasound the heartbeat is checked at every doctor’s appointment. So, if there is something wrong with an infant’s heart, we typical know. So, if I find an infant on the floor unconscious, the first thing that’s going to come to my mind, is this infant has a completely healthy heart as far as we know, so I’m going to think choking. Because infants put everything in their mouths. So, when I would give the [inaudible 00:12:36], I would just check to see if the object is in there and pull it out. But I’m going to reenact the whole thing so you know. So, “Baby, baby are you okay?” At this time I’m slapping at the bottom of the foot, because the bottom of the foot is the most sensitive areas. So, “Baby, baby are you okay?”
Interviewer: Is it, really?
Jenn: Yeah, it is. It’s cool, right? That have an effect.
Interviewer: That have an effect?
Jenn: Uhuh. And then, you got to look for breathing and the alertness. I don’t see any breathing or alertness, so I’m going to check for the pulse. The pulse in the [inaudible 00:13:03], which is right below the armpit. If you’re not able to locate it within ten seconds, begin your compressions. Natural nipple line in the center of the chest, thirty compressions, two inches deep within the infant, tilt their head back, blow into the nose and the mouth with your mouth. Two breaths and that two compressions; you’re going to complete that cycle five times before you check for their pulse again. We saved her.
Interviewer: She made it.
Jenn: She made it.
Interviewer: And if they are choking, what’s the best [inaudible 00:13:33]?
Jenn: Choking is it’s pretty easy to [inaudible 00:13:37], believe it or not. I feel like in our minds, we are a little scared if we were to choke, “I don’t know, the worst is going to happen”. But if you know how to effectively give the [inaudible 00:13:47] maneuver to an adult or a child in this infant posture I’m going to show you, the object to come right out; it’s incredible. My husband made me laugh and held a chip and I was choking, this happened three weeks ago. I couldn’t believe that it really happened with me; and I go running through the house and I’m holding myself like…. [Inaudible 00:14:05], “what’s wrong, what’s wrong?” I’m like ….. and he goes right behind me and gives me the Heimlich maneuver. And sure enough, and sure enough it came out with the first push he did within my chest, the object came out.
Interviewer: Wow.
Jenn: And it’s so insane because people and infants are choking, this is the universal sign for choking and we wouldn’t think like we’re going grab our necks when we’re choking. For I was in such a panic that I hadn’t even think about doing the universal sign. And sure enough I was choking and he got it right out.
Interviewer: That’s really cool.
Jenn: Incredible.
Interviewer: Did you hear Dr. Heimlich got to do it for the first time?
Jenn: Oh, really?
Interviewer: Yeah. He went into a nursing home and the woman next to him was eating and started choking, and ninety something Dr. Heimlich got up and did it and it worked and he was like the first time he’s actually ever done it.
Jenn: That’s how me and my husband felt. When we did it, we were like ….
Interviewer: He was like, that was so cool.
Jenn: Yeah, did this really just happened.
Interviewer: And the old lady was like, [inaudible 00:15:03] Dr. Heimlich, Dr. Heimlich…..
Jenn: How cool is that? That’s super cool. By the man himself.
Interviewer: That exactly. And he got to do what he’s got to do in his lifetime.
Jenn: Yeah, right. I mean, I was scared, but it was kind of cool that I felt it, because I feel like I’m going to be able to better explain that in the process.
Interviewer: Right, absolutely. So, what would you do for the baby? What do you call her by the way?
Jenn: This is Anne.
Interviewer: Anne? Anne are you okay?
Jenn: Anne are you okay? Are you okay, Anne? [Laughter]. Okay for your infant, when they’re choking, it’s a little different posture than the typical Heimlich maneuver, going behind them, fisting [inaudible 00:15:38]. You’re going to take your hand and this part of this form part is going to be your hard surface. You’re going to tilt the head back. Notice I have the head back, it’s not pushed down here because we need to open that airway in order to get that object out.
Now, I don’t rest my hands the shoulder or push down on that area at all; but head stilted back, I’m going to apply five upward back [inaudible 00:16:02]…. One, two, three, four, five. Going to cradle the head. Tilt the baby over to this harm, check for the object; if I can pinch the object and pull it out, I will do so. But I will never go fishing inside of a child’s mouth to get any objects out, because you could possibly push it back further in. you do not ever want to go fishing, you do a blind finger sweep and then [inaudible 00:16:25] mouth.
You got to check for the object. If I can take my two fingers, pinch and pull it out, I will do so, but if not I’m just going to leave it there and allow this to help. But I’m going to do five abdominal thrust. One, two, three, four, five. Check for the object, I don’t see the object. And I’m going to repeat the cycle. One, two, three, four, five, until the object comes completely out. Now, I’ll like to say all of the child in my classes, that when we’re giving back blows, they’re nor back pats, we’re not trying to burp the baby….
Interviewer: I was just going to say; you are seriously smacking her.
Jenn: We are… have you ever had the wind knocked out of you?
Interviewer: Yes.
Jen: Alright, so, we’re initially knocking the wind out of them. What we’re doing is we’re hitting hard enough to get to that little bit of air that’s left in the diaphragm, that’s going to forcefully push that object out. So, we don’t want to pat on their back and be gentle, we are being forceful when we’re holding them this way. And a nice good back blow.
Interviewer: Like a [inaudible 00:17:23] punch in the back?
Jenn: Well…. Kind of, yeah. [USC] is intense, but basically.
Interviewer: So, this is selfish. What if he’s in a wheelchair?
Jenn: Oh, for the Heimlich maneuver?
Interviewer: Yeah.
Jenn: Oh, that’s a really good question. But you know what I would do, is I would just go in front of you…
Interviewer: Yeah.
Jenn: And I would push as hard as I possibly can, because some wheelchairs have this part where you can make the back stiff if you’re choking. So, would have that there, and I would apply my abdominal thrust as hard as…
Interviewer: From the front?
Jenn: From the front, as hard as I possibly can.
Interviewer: Rather than trying to reach around behind me or move me forward?
Jenn: Yeah, because you know what, in my choking experience the other day, a week ago, you don’t have that much time. Like I couldn’t breathe and it hurt and I want to save you before you get to that point of pain and passing out. So, I’m going to just go in front of you because I don’t waste that time.
Interviewer: I have heard people talk about administering it themselves; like if you’re alone and you choke on a chip…
Jenn: Yeah. If you are alone you can take the edge of a countertop and wedge it into your chest and you’re going to do that…. I’ll demonstrate it. [Inaudible 00:18:37] should be able to do it. Alright so, if I were choking and along the other day with my husband, I would have…. Here is my belly button right here and I’m going to place it right at my belly button, and I am going to jab this chair repeatedly while I’m bending over into my chest. Because again, we’re pushing back on that diaphragm to get that object that is blocking.
Interviewer: Yeah, got you. So, chair, countertop, probably best case scenario.
Jenn: Chair, countertop…. You don’t want to use the side of your couch or anything soft.
Interviewer: And squishy.
Jenn: Yeah, we don’t want anything squishy that you’re going to bounce off of, we need something hard and forceful that’s going to allow the object to push out.
Interviewer: Right. Because I mean, I think the ideal [inaudible 00:19:16], it’s got to be really forceful.
Jenn: You have to be forceful. It really is the harder the better with the C.P.R. and even the Heimlich maneuver. We are additionally knocking the wind out of the person when they’re choking to get that object to come out.
Interviewer: Is there an age that’s too young for C.P.R?
Jenn: Oh, no. no, no age is too young for C.P.R, because your infant is anyone from zero to twelve months and the only thing you would do is just use your two fingers then.
Interviewer: When do you transition from using two fingers to [inaudible 00:19:27] C.P.R, where toddler C.P.R is a ….?
Jenn: Okay. Well, they have a toddler C.P.R, child C.P.R would be anyone from one years old to puberty.
Interviewer: Okay.
Jenn: But it is a personal preference for me when I had to give C.P.R, I use two hands and that’s totally okay. She was only two, two and a half almost three; I used two hands when I gave her C.P.R. and that’s okay too because for me, say it was a man, when a man is giving C.P.R. to a child, they have the strength and the force to effectively give their thirty compressions with the one hand. For me, I would run out of energy and be tired. So, I’m just going to always start with the two hands on a child. But a man would most likely always use the one hand and it’s the same, fingers are pointed up on here, [inaudible 00:20:38] with the hands, [inaudible 00:20:39]. And you’re going here, two, two and a half inches deep. I don’t feel like I’m strong enough to go two and a half inches deep, so I’m always going to use this hand. But if you have the strength to do so, you should use just the one hand for a child. And that’s anyone from one years old to puberty. So, you go one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, [inaudible 00:21:05]…. Thirty. For me, I feel like I get about an inch and a half, I can’t go any further. But using the two hands is totally okay, there’s no rules that you have to use just the one hand. But it’s really a preference.
Interviewer: What’s something about C.P.R that people either have the wrong perception of or something you want to clear up?
Jenn: Oh, yeah. A lot of people think when they are going to perform C.P.R. on a person and they get hurt, like break a rib, they’re not protected. But you are protected under the Good Samaritan act, so when you do find someone on the ground, do something, don’t t stand around, don’t be afraid, save them because you could possibly save that person’s life; react right away. You saw our video here too today and that’s the basics, so you know what to do and you should try it.
Interviewer: Have you heard of the C.P.R parties?
Jenn: Yeah, I have heard of C.P.R parties.
Interviewer: My friend, [Laura Mitchell]….
Jenn: Oh, really?
Interviewer: Yeah, she’s on the board of the national [inaudible 00:23:05] fence alliance….
Jenn: Oh, that’s cool.
Interviewer: And she’s super cool. And she started it because her son [Clay]…. It was initially called the Clay Foundation. He drowned and he was rescued, and some bystander who didn’t know C.P.R, did C.P.R; just he did what he had seen on TV, he fainted and now he got back to a hospital, he’s in a coma, he ended up being okay. And they think the reason he is okay is because this guy did C.P.R.
Jenn: Yeah. You know what is also really cool, is the American Heart Association; they say that the quicker that C.P.R. is started on drowning victim and if there’s any breathing or alertness when the paramedics arrive to the scene, the likelihood that the person is going to walk away okay, is very high.
Interviewer: That’s awesome.
Jenn: Yeah, so cool. Yeah.
Interviewer: So, that’s when he decided that you know, even if somebody doesn’t get certified, having some CPR is always better than nothing.
Jenn: Yeah.
Interviewer: And so she does these CPR parties, they’re like [inaudible 00:23:01] parties, but learning CPR.
Jenn: Yeah, that’s cool, I love it. Yeah because you can teach the hands only too. Hands only can save a drowning victim for sure and that’s important; that’s kind of what Kerri and I do for the CPR day. We do one certification class and we do choose hands only [inaudible 00:23:19]. So, the community gets to come in for free to those classes and we teach them the hands only C.P.R. and it definitely can save a life [inaudible 00:23:26].
Interviewer: So, is there a delineation between certified C.P.R. and or using the breaths and then hands only for…?
Jenn: Hands only for, we just don’t teach the breaths [inaudible 00:23:34], because people who aren’t certified too and a lot of people are saying, they’re doing away with the breaths, but the theory on that is people are spending, thinking the breaths are more important than the compression. And the compressions are by far the number one thing; getting that blood flow is so important. Our blood flow stores oxygen in it, so when we’re pushing down on the compressions, the body’s getting a little bit of oxygen too, but people get obsessed and focus on the breaths and they don’t go right back to that C.P.R. So, it’s better just to teach those people that are not taking the certification class just the hands only. So, they’re not fixated on giving them the breaths.
Interviewer: Got you. And if someone wants to become certified, where do they go, what do they do?
Jenn: Oh, you can go to the American Heart Association’s website and you can type in their zip code and it will tell you all the classes that are available in your area.
Interviewer: [inaudible 00:24:27] lessons.
Jenn: I remember that, no this is [inaudible 00:24:30]. Hey, Natalee.
Interviewer: And so, you…. And I will actually [inaudible 00:24:36]… closer to the end. You had to give C.P.R. once, right?
Jenn: I did. I did have to give C.P.R. Four years ago, I was at a party with fun my husband and my children and I was sitting on a Sun shelf, a huge sun shelf; this pool had a beautiful sun shelf and…
Interviewer: What is a sun shelf?
Jenn: A sun shelf is right before the steps, they’re at that shallow end of the pool. And it was a big area, so people probably felt confident in that area. Even the youngest there with my fourteen month old and he was walking up and down the little sun shelf area playing, when all of a sudden I saw a mom scanning the pool. And me being a mom, I know that we have that look on our face when something’s wrong. And we scan the pool and we’re looking; she’s looking and I’m like, “what is she looking for?” And I started looking and that’s where about this far away from me, maybe a little bit further, maybe about where the pictures was her two year old daughter in the water lifeless, not moving. And I immediately reacted; mom and I jumped in immediately, we both grabbed an arm and I put her down on the floor.
I wasn’t confident in my C.P.R training and something that is really important to me that I teach in my classes. And for anyone that doesn’t feel confident in their C.P.R, that you become confident in it. I put her down on the floor, hoping that someone in this huge group of people….there were so many… there were two pool parties going on at this party with…two pool parties with all the community residents there. So, it was packed, there was so many people.
Interviewer: You’re thinking, somebody has got to be a doctor or a nurse…?
Jenn: Someone… yeah, someone’s got to be able…. I’m just a preschool teacher and I was not come in my C.P.R. training. So, I put her down on the floor and not one person began C.P.R. I mean, everyone swarmed her and they were banging on her back, sticking their fingers down her throat. No one began C.P.R. And at that point, I remember one thing I was taught in my class, and that was something was better than nothing. And I knew where my hands were supposed to be placed and I went to her and I moved everyone as much as much as I could and I began the compressions. And it’s crazy because we’re all in a state of panic at that point, where everyone wants to help and react. And there were a couple people there, that while I was giving compressions were still trying to pick her up, and banging on her back. And I kept saying, “no, it’s okay, we got to get the blood flowing and give compressions” and they didn’t stop. Someone had to move them from stopping; but they were reacting the way they thought, you know, and it’s good. As long as you’re reacting, you’re getting something done, so I am happy that they were reacting because they thought that was right. But for future, we want to make sure the C.P.R. is given right away and no lifting up, anything like that.
So, I went over there and I started giving the compressions and immediately foam and fluid started expelling from her mouth. And we tilted her head…. I didn’t tilt her head to the side, there was a gentleman there who tilted her head to the side and he holds the head to the side so the vomit would come out and then when he would let go, her head would go right back to center. So, that’s why I said earlier that when you’re giving C.P.R, don’t worry about that head being to the side because it’s not going to stay there and that’s not what you need to worry about, you need to worry about those confessions.
So, I gave her the compressions; after three sets of confessions I made another mistake that I don’t want anyone to make. Her color had come back and to me, she looked like she was alive and the hospital…. We have the hospital so close by, I looked at mom, and I was like, let’s go to the hospital, I don’t see the paramedics. I picked her up in my arms, mom was going to drive and I was going to keep giving compressions in the car and on elevating her and she died again in my arms. So, I had to put her back down on the floor and give her three more sets of compressions and by that time, she actually woke up and was looking for her mommy. And we knew she was awake then, and I looked at mom again, and I’m like “we need to get to the hospital”. And we’re running to my van again and as we were running to the van, guess who is waiting for us at the pool?
Interviewer: Paramedics?
Jenn: The paramedics. Do not move them. Someone from the pool ran to us where we and they said, “The paramedics is at the pool”. Mom and I started running back to the pool and the paramedics were running to where we were. So, that could of, in those moments, she walked away completely unarmed, thank God. But in those moments, had it been something more serious, those moments would have been viable. And if I could go back in time, I would have never moved her, I would have waited there and by the time you’re ready to pick them up and run to the hospital, the paramedics maybe two minutes away; just wait the two minutes.
Interviewer: Yeah, and then they can [inaudible 00:29:36]…
Jenn: Exactly. Their beds are made for the compressions and they can work on them the whole time; give them the oxygen that’s needed. So, doing not running around is something that I wish I could go back and change.
Interviewer: Is there anything you want people to know that I forgot to ask you or talk about?
Jenn: Yeah. I want people to not be afraid to react. Even watching short videos on YouTube, you don’t have to be certified to save the life. You can get the knowledge and if you’re in an event like this, react. Don’t be afraid. Freezing up isn’t going to help us and in our minds too, we naturally freeze up. I froze up, I totally understand that that can happened, but pull yourself out of it and react because you could be possibly saving a family member.
Interviewer: That’s what you did.
Jenn: Yeah, you know, and I never thought…. I was just a preschool teacher at a pool party with my kid and I never would have thought that would ever happen. I’m just thankful that she made it and she is completely healthy.
Interviewer: How old is she now?
Jenn: Seven…
Interviewer: Oh, wow.
Jenn: Six, six.
Interviewer: Have you seen her since?
Jenn: I have not seen her, I saw her during her swim lessons, because after she’s drowned… this is a good thing to know. After the drowning, one month later, she was in ISR swim lessons.
Interviewer: Oh, wow.
Jenn: Yeah. And she soared and did amazing. So, I didn’t get to watch one of her swim lessons, which was so cool to see that happened because ISR is amazing.
Interviewer: Were you doing ISR at the time?
Jenn: I wasn’t. And it’s an amazing story because all of the local ISR instructors; Kristi, Liz, Aaron, Sam, Natalee….
Interviewer: Stacey.
Jenn: Stace… I don’t think Stacey, because she’s not local. But they reached out to me and they said, “In honor of your heroic act, we want to provide you with swim lessons”. And I was like, “okay, alright, well that’s amazing, I would love to do this”. And I signed them up with a swim lessons and watching, I couldn’t go to the pool anymore after that happened. I wasn’t comfortable, the anxiety was terrible. So, being around any body of water, even with my own kids just wasn’t reality and ISR freed me of that, because seeing my boys be able to, not only swim but save themselves if that were to ever happen, just took that extra bit of paranoia away from me. Because we’re on the water all the time, my dad is a Sailor and we’re always on the ocean and I couldn’t even go sailing anymore.
So, after our ISR lessons and watching my kids repeatedly be able to save themselves, it was good, everything was back to normal, I was freed of that anxiety that came with that drowning.
Interviewer: That’s cool. My dad sailed too, actually.
Jenn: Oh, yeah?
Interviewer: Yeah. And my grandfather was a [inaudible 00:32:21] captain.
Jenn: Oh, really?
Interviewer: Yeah.
Jenn: I love sailing.
Interviewer: It’s a long line of sailing.
Jenn: It’s amazing. We have a beautiful pier here. Not pier, gosh… reef, right in front of the pier and the kids love going out there. You should see my little five year old snorkeling out there. that’s incredible.
Interviewer: That’s awesome.
Jenn: Yeah.
Interviewer: That’s really cool. And he rolls around floats and he’s [inaudible 00:32:39]?
Jenn: Yeah, oh, yeah. Anytime a big wave will come crashing, you’ll see him under the wave trying to get into the [inaudible 00:32:46].
Interviewer: That’s awesome.
Jenn: Yeah, he’s quite a swimmer.
Interviewer: That’s fantastic. So, how can people find you, sign up with you, give you money?
Jenn: Well you can find me at readysetsave on my Facebook page readysetsave.org or specialized swimming [inaudible 00:33:00- 00:33:02] yeah.
Interviewer: Awesome. And I think you said there is a facility here for [inaudible 00:11:16] swim lessons, ISR?
Jenn: Yeah.
Interviewer: Obviously CPR as well.
Jenn: Yes, we teach CPR right in this room.
Interviewer: Great, that’s awesome. And the [inaudible 00:33:13]; you come by today and get their…what do you sign [inaudible 00:33:16]?
Jenn: I make [funfetti] cupcakes…
Interviewer: That’s amazing.
Jenn: And actual watermelons. So, they can come and get cupcakes, lemonade and watermelon.
Interviewer: And I’m guessing that the reason watermelon, is because watermelon float?
Jenn: they do float. Yes, watermelons [inaudible 00:33:32], watermelons and ISR students have in common, is they both float.
Interviewer: Perfect.
Jenn: It’s amazing.
Interviewer: Do watermelons roll over that?
Jenn: Do they roll over? I mean, if they could, if they [inaudible 00:33:42] enough wave.
Interviewer: Right, exactly and someone taught them.
Jenn: Yeah. They could teach our little watermelons to roll over baby.
Interviewer: Perfect. Alright, cool. Anything else? Are we good?
Jenn: Yeah, that’s good.
Interviewer: Awesome, thank you so much.
Jenn: Thank you Eric, for having me, I really appreciate it.
Interviewer: Bye you all, thanks!
Jen: Bye, blessing you all.
