In our state, Michigan, in order to be on a fire dept. you must be MFR ( Medical First Responder ) trained and CPR is included with that. CPR and AED training are giving at the same time and is part of the MFR class. Each year we refresh on this. EVERYONE, not only fire/ems should have this training.
I totally agree I took my EMR class three years ago and am in the middle of my EMT class now. Most of the fire dept don't want it "I don't like blood and guts"is the excuse.
Most factorys and coal mines around here require it anymore. My wife works as a administrative assistant at my department she is going to take it next week with us. We are a volunteer dept and what if some shows up and codes at the door while she there by herself. Or a firefighter doing station duties gets hurt and she is there already there doing her paperwork.
Why should a fire department not make it mandatory? I believe it is just workplace safety at the least.
There are defibs hanging in just about every public building, supermarkets, office buildings and shopping malls that are so simple to use a child could do it.. and your FD doesn't want them or doesn't want to have CPR training?
If the above is true.. you're FD is a joke, period. End of story.
What happens when the ambulance is busy... dont you wish you had a defib then. They are not difficult to use. If your department only responds to fires and not medical calls you are doing a disservice to your community. And please dont tell me its political... politics i hope dont get in the way of saving lives.
IMHO...all FF's should be certified in CPR and there should be an AED on the truck that responds first to every call. You never know when one of your own will go down.