SALF Child LSFA Research Pilot

September 1996 SALF challenged the misconception that children were unable and disinterested in learning life saving skills. Illinois state funds were appropriated through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs to conduct this investigative study.

By the end of 1997 SALF clearly proved that children, ranging from grades K-12th, had the ability and enthusiasm to learn, retain and embrace their new life saving abilities with an empowering increased willingness to aid the injured in an emergency. This can be compared to teaching a child to save a life as opposed to taking a life.

48,731 students participate from 101 Illinois urban, suburban, and rural public school areas in this study. Each class, of this controlled group, consisted of 25 to 30 students and each student experienced hands-on skill practice. The targeted audience comprised of student's grades K through 12th grades and trained according to their age-level. "Save A Life For Kids” course varied from 30 minutes for the youngest level (K-2), to the maximum time of one hour for those in (3-6) grade levels.  Skills taught included: scene safety, rescue breathing, and the abdominal thrust (Heimlich maneuver) for infants, children and adults.

Those who taught the courses were emergency medical service (EMS) providers from local fire, police departments or private ambulances. These professionals received a 4-hour orientation by SALF so they could define each skill with clarity and credibility to the specific age level, which aided in the student's classroom attention.

Grades 7 through 12th grades experienced SALF’s “Bystander Basics”, a two-hour course that covered the same skills as "Save A Life For Kids", but added one hour for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).

Prior to training, the Instructor gave each student a ten-question pre-test, the student answered on a Scantron © card.  A ten-question post-test was again given to the same students after the training, of which they again answered on another Scantron © card. Three months later, the same students received a re-test, again answered on a Scantron card.  A “Teacher Course Evaluation” sheet was filled out and signed by the witnessing classroom teacher for accountability.

All Scantrons © were collected by the SALF Instructors and returned to Headquarters for processing into its data collection system that separated the results according to grade level, geographies, and answer to questions. The results were astounding when revealed that there was a 97% skills retention level after three months and a 57% increased willingness to render aid to the injured or ill and the confidence to do so by these same students.

To date SALF continues collecting and processing data for each class it trains.

97% Retention after 3 months