Lifesaving lessons offered at new CPR classroom

KINGSPORT — Every year over 350,000 instances of cardiac arrest occur outside of hospitals, according to the American Heart Association. If someone provides bystander CPR, the person's chance of survival can double or even triple. Tami Adams has trained people to conduct CPR and other lifesaving procedures for many years. When she and her family moved to Kingsport a few years ago, she wondered if she could also move her passion for CPR instruction to the Model City. "I wasn't sure if it was something that there was a need for or not," she said. "As I researched, I didn't really see a brick and mortar in Kingsport, and I thought maybe my business model would be a service to the community." Adams then decided to open her own classroom offering emergency response and lifesaving education: Vital CPR. In just over two years of service, Vital CPR has certified over 1,500 people. On Tuesday, in association with Downtown Kingsport Association and the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce, Vital CPR held a ribbon cutting for its new classroom location. The event featured refreshments, a drawing for a first aid kit and the opportunity to practice on CPR dummies. When Adams first opened Vital CPR, it was only a few months before she realized she would need a larger space. "As my business continued to grow and I could tell that there continued to be a need, I started looking for a larger space that would be more conducive to classes, and I found this place across the street (from the previous location)," Adams said. She said her new location better accommodates classes, allows for more movement and feels more friendly and professional. Vital CPR's classroom can accommodate a maximum of about 20 people per class. The trainings offered at Vital CPR are in accordance with American Heart Association guidelines. There are different course options including: basic life support training — a more rigorous and technical course due to the level of care provided — for healthcare professionals such as nurses, dentists and physical therapists OSHAA approved courses for businesses which include lessons on CPR, AED, medical emergencies, injury emergencies, environmental emergencies and use of PPE the family and friends course, which still follows American Heart Association guidelines, but allows for more flexibility depending on the client's specific needs. Classes are held at the downtown location — at 317 Cherokee St. Suite 103 — unless clients schedule Vital CPR to train at another site. Adams' goal in starting Vital CPR was to make saving lives more accessible. "I just want to serve people, and I love to be able to help people stand in the gap as something that is very scary, but the skills themselves are not complicated," she said. "If I can just share that knowledge and skill and that can make a difference in somebody's life, that is just amazing to me."