Car dealers breathe life into CPR training

The University of Arkansas Cossatot medical education training programs have been enhanced with new a “Resusci Anne CPR” unit presented by the Arkansas Automobile Dealers Association and De Queen Auto Group Inc. in partnership with the National Automobile Dealers Charitable Foundation.

“CPR training teaches a person how to keep the heart beating while waiting for professional help to arrive,” said Greg Kirkpatrick, president of Arkansas Automobile Dealers Association. “If the right kind of treatment can be given to a victim within seconds after he or she is stricken, the chances are good that the life can be saved.”

In accepting the CPR training unit, UA Cossatot Nursing Instructor Kay Trotta said they plan to train more than 200 people this year. The unit will be used to train UA Cossatot medical education students and to provide CPR training for community members through UA Cossatot Continuing Education courses. UA Cossatot has provided CPR training for 23 years. The retail value of the “Resusci Anne Full Body” that was presented to the UA Cossatot Foundation is $2,061.

New-car dealers, like De Queen Auto Group, have devoted much of their time and money to the development of projects that enrich the lives of people in their communities. Jay Dooley serves on the board of directors of the Arkansas Automobile Dealers Association and the UA Cossatot Board of Visitors.

NADA has been the voice of the dealer since 1917 and represents nearly 16,500 new car and truck dealerships with about 32,500 franchises, both domestic and international. Arkansas Automobile Dealers Association was formed in 1932 and represents the Franchise New Car and Truck Dealers in the state of Arkansas.

Since the NADA Foundation’s Medical Grants program began, more than 5,000 CPR training units with a value of more than $3 million have been donated to organizations in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. More than 2 million people have been trained on CPR units donated by newcar dealers.