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Manchester first responders revisit 'Pit Crew CPR' training

The Damar Hamlin incident brings a renewed focus on learning CPR.

MANCHESTER, Conn. — It’s a page from the NASCAR Playbook, and the Manchester Fire Department is continuing their training for “Pit Crew CPR”.

There has been a focus across the country on just how critical it is to learn CPR after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin fell victim to an on-field cardiac arrest during Monday Night Football, postponing the game.

In Manchester, the first responders have been using “Pit Crew CPR” tactics for years.

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“In Manchester, when we respond to a cardiac arrest, we employ this Pit Crew CPR model that gives everyone a role to perform before they arrive, it makes the process more efficient," explained Assistant Chief Josh Beaulieu. "We assign paramedics and EMTs specific job functions that we know in advance need to get done for every single cardiac arrest.”

Manchester Fire Department Lieutenant Bryan Goulet added, “We are ultimately bringing the ER to your living room or your shopping mall… We’re going to bring you what you would get in a hospital.”

As scary as the Hamlin incident has been for the sports world, the first responders hope that it amplifies the message for more people to seek out how to perform CPR.

“We have a very successful system in Manchester responding to cardiac arrest,” said Beaulieu. “Our success is, oftentimes, the result of citizens taking action before we arrive.”

“if anything comes out of the terrible things we saw the other night [on Monday Night Football] I hope that it motivates them to learn CPR,” Goulet added.

Jimmy Altman is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at jaltman@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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