IUPUI Police Department Offers “Life Saving” Course to Campus Community

IUPUI Police Officer Mark Mowery instructs Center for Young Children staff in CPR

INDIANAPOLIS – IUPUI Police Officer Mark Mowery hopes those who take his class won’t have to put into practice what he teaches them.

But if they do, Mowery knows they will be grateful they were trained to provide assistance.

“You never know when cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) may be needed,” he said.

“It’s better to know CPR and not need it, than need it and not know it,” says Mowery, an emergency medical technician and a former emergency room technician who is a member of the police department’s bike patrol.

Mowery teaches the American Heart Association Heartsaver CPR Course to members of the campus community. A fee is charged per person to cover the costs of the class, generally offered on Fridays at the IUPUI Police Department Ball Annex headquarters. The CPR class, which last five to six hours, is usually limited to six individuals.

A number of departments and units across campus have sent faculty and staff for training, Mowery noted. At the end of the training, graduates receive a CPR training completion card that is valid for two years and the course book.

The IUPUI Police Department recently purchased four training mannequins, including two adult mannequins, a child mannequin and an infant mannequin for the CPR classes.

The CPR course covers how to identify warning signs that someone is about to have a heart attack as well as what to do when someone does have a heart attack. “If you know what to watch for, you can pick up on the warning signs before an individual goes into cardiac arrest,” Mowery noted.

Who should take the class? “Everyone should be trained,” Mowery advised. “The sooner CPR starts, the better the chances are that an individual will recover.”

For more information about the CPR classes, contact Mowery at 274-2057 or mmowery@iupui.edu.