Robbinsdale FD offers AED Training

Knowing CPR and how to use an AED in a medical emergency could be the difference between life and death.

“I was just playing hockey with a bunch of high school friends. And during the course of the game I started feeling, I just wasn’t getting enough. I wasn’t getting my wind back after the game, after my shift. I’d go to the bench, and I just wasn’t ready to go back out again,” said Kirk Anderson.

That was ten years ago and Anderson was in great shape. He had no indication he was heading for a heat attack.

Life-saving AED

“I started seeing the stars and then I slumped into the door, and the guy behind me began doing actual physical CPR. And somebody went and got the Zamboni guy. So the Zamboni guy ran off got the AED. And they actually went through the process, put the AED on me and it told them to shock me once, and then they shocked me twice because it said to do it again,” said Anderson.



People who knew exactly what to do saved Kirk’s life that day. The Robbinsdale Fire Department wants to teach everyone how easy it is to use today’s modern Automatic External Defibrillator equipment and do hands-only CPR. They’ll give lessons at an open house coming up on Saturday, August 10th.

Valuable Training

“Downstairs in the basement you’ll be able to take compression-only CPR using an AED,” said Robbinsdale firefighter Kevin Byrnes. “This is training that kind of lifts some of the intimidation around the process of providing CPR.

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Byrnes says they want the public to have this simple training and not be afraid to use the AED because the machine itself will walk you through the process.

“Learn about the AED’s, or even CPR. Learn everything you can do, because you never know. It could be a situation like what I was in when you just happen to be there, and you could be that person that helped save somebody else’s life,” said Anderson.

For more information on the Robbinsdale Fire and Police Open House on August 10 go to the City of Robbinsdale Facebook page, or the city’s website.

Robbinsdale