Learning to Save Lives at BBA

The Message for The Week, May 29, 2007

Debbie Parkhurst with her dog, Toby

In photo from left, EMT-I Greg Malinowski, Derek Weiss '08,
Morgan Ax '07,Velco President John Donleavy, Vermont State Police
Sergeant Reg Trayah,Velco Safety Manager Michael Cromis,
Vermont State Police Lieutenant Tim Oliver,and Velco Executive
Assistant to thePresident Judy frazier at Burr and Burton Academy
for training in how to save lives.

Burr and Burton Academy students received hands-on traning in how to save a life thanks to the interest and support of John Donleavy, presesident ofVermont Electric Power Company.

Donleavy said that he was very impressed when he met Carol Spizzirri, who founded the Save a Life Foundation in 1993 shortly after her 18-year -old daughter Christina died because first-responders were not trained in basic life supporting first aid.

He believes Vermont is a perfect place to give students this training as emergecy services in rural areas may be far away. The goal of the program is to give students Basic Life Supporting First Aid (LSFA) skills training -performing CPR and the Heimlich maneuver and using an automatic external defibrillator to jump start a patient's heart - intended to help them save lives.

"at Velco, all the lineman are trained," he said. "Safety is number one." Senior Morgan Ax, a certified first responder in Manchester, helped with the training sessions.

Velco is a new member of the Headmaster's List of the Burr and Burton Corporate Honor Roll. The Corporate Sponsor program benefits the school's Annual Giving Campaign which enriches the education of every student. Burr and Burton students thank Velco for thei generous support.

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