Rockvale Elementary gets medical trauma kits for teachers
If a child is hurt at school, it might take paramedics a few minutes to arrive.
“That’s a lifetime in a trauma situation,” said Rockvale Elementary School Principal Dayna Nichols said.
To be better prepared, Rockvale School Resource Officer Greg King suggested paramedics teach first aid techniques to the school’s teachers.
Nichols enlisted her son, Rutherford County Emergency Medical Services Paramedic Philip Nichols, and Paramedic Mike Johnson, who taught teachers methods to stop bleeding in September.
“Anytime you have trauma, you go into overdrive,” Principal Nichols said. “We wanted to make sure our teachers knew what to do.”
After training, the school launched a campaign to raise $4,500 to pay for trauma kits for each teacher.
Principal Nichols said SRO King spearheaded the pre-Thanksgiving sale of butter bread pastries by students, teachers and staff.
“Officer Greg always has the kids and teachers in his heart,” Principal Nichols said. “He wants to care for the 1,100 students and make sure the teachers are trained.”
Parents and the Rockvale community supported the sale and raised the funds.
Principal Nichols, Assistant Principal Randall Uptain, King, Nichols and Johnson packed the trauma kits for each teacher last week. Nichols and Johnson will show teachers how to use the materials included in the trauma kits.
Paramedic Nichols said the teachers now have the skills to respond automatically.
Johnson said when needed, the teachers will remember what they learned. He believes Rockvale Elementary set the standard for classes that he hopes will be implemented in each county school.
Principal Nichols knows the teachers are better equipment to stop bleeding.
“I just hope we never need the kits,” she said.
Pictured: School administrators, paramedics and the school resource officer pack medical trauma kits for Rockvale Elementary School teachers. From left are Principal Dayna Nichols, Emergency Medical Services Paramedics Mike Johnson and Philip Nichols, SRO Greg King and Assistant Principal Randall Uptain.
