Retrospect: JCI employees took CPR training

In continuing a local trend, employees of JCI Inc. underwent emergency training 30 years ago this week.

On March 30, 1988, JCI employees received instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at Jay County Hospital.

Jane Jobe, a nurse and day supervisor of the hospital’s emergency room and intensive care unit, said 39 JCI workers had received such instruction at the time with the company picking up the cost. Other local businesses and industries, including Nass Foods and Jay-Randolph Developmental Center had also participated in such emergency training.

“Lots of industries are interested in it because it’s just a protection for them anymore,” Jobe said. “I think we’re going to see a lot of it.”

Training at the hospital included using mannequins — three adults, one child and one infant — with sensors to indicate if CPR was being performed correctly.

CPR certification required an eight-hour initial class, to be followed by a four-hour class for recertification each year. Those courses were taught locally by hospital pharmacist Stephanie Smith, hospital maintenance staffer Paul Martin, Portland Teledyne Forge employee Jim Bruner and Jobe. Anyone interested in learning CPR could set up the required training session through the hospital.