Oct. 20 Akron City Council meeting
Covered by Documenter Jackie Jantzi (see her notes here)
During the 23rd FirstEnergy Akron Marathon in September, spectators swarmed the finish line in Downtown Akron to cheer on the thousands of runners who completed the race.
Dan Molnar, a nurse practitioner from Firestone Park, stood among them, watching for his fiancée to cross the finish line.
Then a runner collapsed just a few yards away.
Molnar didn’t hesitate. He slipped past the barricade, knelt beside the man and began CPR, administering steady compressions on the pavement.
Within minutes, Akron firefighters arrived and took over. The runner survived.
City Council honors Molnar for CPR heroics
During an Akron City Council meeting last month, Ward 7 Council Member Donnie Kammer recognized Molnar for his quick action.
“Dan jumped into action, basically hurdled the barricades and ran over and started helping,” Kammer said. “We’re grateful for him being there and jumping into action like that because sometimes we’re hesitant about doing things.”
Molnar performs CPR almost daily in Summa Health’s ICU but had never needed to use it before outside the hospital.
“I was happy to help out the other medical staff, and I’m glad that it turned out well for that gentleman,” Molnar said.
He was quick to point out that anyone can be equipped to do what he did. Most people can complete a CPR class in just a few hours and walk away with a certification good for two years.
To learn CPR, look for certified courses
Courses are created under the Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council, so they’re consistently updated with the latest medical research and best practices.
CPR, which is short for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, is designed to be accessible, repeatable and quickly learned.
Dr. Victoria DiGennaro, a practicing physician in the Akron area and CEO of Pioneer Physicians Network, said she first learned CPR in a middle school classroom while taking a babysitting course.
“I wanted to be certified in case of an emergency while caring for children,” she said. “I then have renewed my certification throughout the years in medical school, residency and now in practice as a family medicine physician.”
DiGennaro said there has been an “evolution” of CPR training.
Health care workers are taught a more thorough version that involves mouth-to-mouth breathing, while those outside the medical field learn hands-only CPR, which can be conducted in emergencies.
Fitness coach wanted to learn CPR as personal trainer
Joycelyn Mull, a fitness coach in Akron’s Highland Square neighborhood, learned CPR while studying to become a personal trainer.
The American Red Cross sent a CPR instructor directly to the gym where she used to work.
“It is actually mandatory to get CPR-certified in order to complete your Personal Training certification,” Mull said.
Mull said the CPR instructor walked her and a small group of coaches through the signs to look for and how to perform proper CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) care on adults, children, infants and yourself, in case you’re alone.
“It was a very hands-on course and was easy to follow, with plenty of practice at each step,” Mull said.
The course took about three hours and concluded with a test and a practice CPR session.
Though she hasn’t needed to use her CPR training yet, she said knowing she could step in — like Molnar did — gives her confidence.
“I think being CPR certified is so important and feels so good to be ready if something were to happen around me,” Mull said.
Call 911 and then start CPR
The first two to four minutes are crucial after someone goes into cardiac arrest, Mull said. She said it’s good to get started on CPR while waiting for 911 to arrive.
DiGennaro said numerous statistics indicate that the sooner CPR is started, the better the patient outcome.
“It is a vital service that we provide that can make the difference literally between life and death,” she said.
DiGennaro has administered CPR many times in her professional life, and not always in controlled hospital settings with numerous resources and medical personnel available.
“One time we had a patient go into cardiac arrest in my outpatient office, and I had to initiate CPR in the field,” she said.
Performing CPR on a real person is “completely different” than on a mannequin, she said.
“Though it is challenging to perform CPR, it is truly life-saving,” she said.
DiGennaro said caution should be taken for those administering CPR, as it’s common to break ribs if done incorrectly.
“The effort needed to perform effective CPR requires a large amount of physical strength and endurance and is mentally challenging,” she said.
The best way to receive proper training is to attend a course and obtain certification.
How to get CPR certified in Akron
The American Red Cross offers online, in-person and hybrid CPR courses throughout the Akron area.
Some gyms, workplaces and community organizations also partner with the Red Cross or other accredited instructors to offer on-site training, like the group course Mull completed.
Upcoming class dates and times are available through the Red Cross course finder at RedCross.org.
They offer training for:
- Individuals
- Workplaces
- First responders
- Schools and students
- Health care professionals
Molnar said if a person witnesses someone in distress and they aren’t breathing or do not have a pulse, start compressions and call for help.
“All I can say is, everybody get CPR certified,” Molnar said. “You don’t know if it’s going to be your family member or your friend that is going to need it. The quicker you do it, the better outcomes you have.”