BY LENA MAGEE
The Westside Express
On Feb. 3, Los Banos Junior High School (LBJHS) held its second annual school-wide CPR training. In conjunction with Riggs Ambulance Education Manager Greg Petersen, LBJHS administrative assistant Rachelle Jacobo coordinated the event.
Throughout the day, Petersen taught students how to perform chest compressions on mannequins during their physical education periods. As they were only learning hands-only CPR, both Petersen and Jacobo clarified that students did not receive CPR certification.
Petersen, along with CPR certified teachers, members of the Merced and Los Banos fire departments and officers from the Merced Police Department, oversaw the training and assisted students. Petersen and the Los Banos Unified School District provided the mannequins used for the training.
Jacobo coordinated the first CPR training at LBJHS in 2024 with Petersen. As a former employee for the Los Banos city fire department, Jacobo saw value in CPR training for students. “It’s a great opportunity for learning,” she said.
Petersen said, “Everyone needs to know how to do CPR. Anyone can have a cardiac episode, young or old. The only way to save more is to have people do CPR before paramedics get there.”
LBJHS is not the first school Petersen has coordinated with to bring basic CPR training to students. In 2017, Petersen began teaching hands-only CPR training at the University of California, Merced and has since gone on to organize training at every high school in Merced county, with the exception of Merced, Pacheco and Stone Ridge Christian.
“It’s my goal to go to every junior high school in Merced County once a year,” Petersen said. “If you want to change the world, go to the schools.”
Petersen has also gone to schools outside of Merced County, including Gustine, Mariposa and Chowchilla.
Jacobo stated that the training would not have been possible without the support of Los Banos High School’s Regional Occupational Program (ROP), medical technology class, Riggs Ambulance, the Los Banos and Merced fire departments and the Merced Police Department.
When asked if LBJHS would have the training again next year, Jacobo said, “Yes, we want this to be an annual thing. We’ve gotten good feedback from teachers and parents.”
