In a unique way of artistry and community service, members of the City of DeSoto Artist Lab (DAL) Residency Program gathered at the Joe Brown DeSoto Fire Training Center to undergo crucial lifesaving training.
The artists underwent the training with a shared commitment to enhancing their skills beyond the canvas.
Over the course of several hours, the artist immersed themselves in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) operation.
Vital techniques that could potentially save lives within their community.
“When our artists exhibit in our City of DeSoto facilities, they engage many visitors who stop to look at their work and ask questions about the individual pieces,” said Rolanda Brigham, Arts, Culture and Heritage Manager for the City of DeSoto.
“Since the artists are often right there as the visitors filter by, we thought it would be a smart idea to require them to be certified in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) use just in case a life-threatening emergency were to happen on their watch.”
The training is mandatory and is the second year that the DAL has received the certification.
Five members of DeSoto’s Artists Lab received the training on Saturday, May 4, at the newly renamed Joe Brown DeSoto Fire Training Center on Wintergreen Road.
“Knowing how to save someone’s life is one of the most important abilities there is, and we applaud the members of the DeSoto Artist Lab who came out Saturday to learn these critical life-saving skills,” said DeSoto Fire Chief Bryan Southard.
“This might sound like an ‘abstract’ concept to some, but training our artists and any other dedicated community member to save lives in an emergency makes DeSoto both safer and stronger.”
M. Grace Alvarez