Fifth-grade students at Manhattan Intermediate School learned critical life-saving skills, including how to call 911, how to perform the Heimlich maneuver, and how to perform hands-only CPR during a May 30 educational session with the Manhattan Fire Protection District.
Fire and Life Safety Educator Jackie Palkovitz, known affectionately in the schools as “Firefighter Jackie,” was met with excitement from the first students of the day in Amy Kijewski’s and Katherine Rodriguez’s fifth-grade classes. Many recognized her from other educational sessions the district has held in the schools.
Palkovitz also brought along firefighters Colin Murray and intern firefighter Braden Christensen to assist in instructing the students.
Although the district conducts numerous in-school educational events, this hands-only CPR educational session is the first in Manhattan public schools. The intention is to bring it to all the schools in the district.
“We want awareness. The goal is that they know how to identify an emergency, they know how to respond and tell telecommunicators what is happening without panicking, and to identify when someone is in cardiac arrest, and what they’re supposed to do in response,” Palkovitz said.
While dialing 911 may seem simple, Palkovitz offered common scenarios where calling 911 can be a bit more challenging, such as when a cell phone is locked. She also asked students who don’t have cell phones and whose homes do not have landlines to “talk with their grown-ups about an emergency plan.”
She also taught students what information to provide to dispatchers, like their location. While an exact address would be ideal, she explained they might not have the address if they’re in an open space, like a park.
Palkovitz emphasized it is essential to remain calm and provide as much information as possible to dispatchers. The more information they have, the sooner they can respond.
“Typically, with kids, they’ll call 911, and they won’t know what to do or say, and same with adults. So we’re really just trying to get that 911 awareness out there,” Palkovitz said.
She also told the kids to make sure to stay on the phone, even if they call 911 accidentally.
Other critical information to provide 911 dispatchers, in addition to their location, is information about the emergency, such as whether a person is awake and alert. Students learned how to determine if someone is breathing so they could communicate this to 911. They also learned to report to dispatchers if a person was bleeding, along with other important details.
Palkovitz, Murray, and Christensen told the students what exactly CPR was (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), how it worked, and why it was so important. In kid-safe terms, Palkovitz explained that if someone isn’t breathing and their heart isn’t pumping, their brain could start dying, which is why they need CPR.
Students then learned how to administer hands-only CPR with a demonstration by the firefighters and, then, much to the students’ excitement, they got the opportunity to practice with the fire district’s CPR dummies.
Palkovitz instructed students to keep their arms in a V-shape, meaning no elbows bent, and they can’t sit back on their feet. She talked about the rhythm of CPR, and noted popular songs like Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” and the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive” provide the perfect tempo to follow.
The kids practiced in pairs as the firefighters observed, sometimes interjecting to offer helpful corrections and tips to ensure students could perform it as best they could in an emergency.
“I see a lot of huffing and puffing. Who got a little bit tired doing that? Who felt like their breathing got heavier the more they did compressions?” Palkovitz asked the kids.
The room full of panting children raised their hands.
“Good,” Palkovitz responded, followed by praise and an explanation that compressions are a full-body activity that will leave them tired if they’re doing it correctly.
Before concluding, the firefighters also demonstrated to the students how to perform the Heimlich maneuver in case someone was choking. They also reviewed the signs to look out for that indicate a person needs help, such as when they want to talk but cannot, or when they instinctively grab their throat.
During demonstrations, the kids donned vests equipped with a foam pellet to demonstrate how food could be expelled with an upward thrust to the abdomen. Upon successfully dislodging the item with the Heimlich Maneuver, the kids celebrated their success with big smiles and even one student raising his arms as a champion would.
“Being a kid, it was always awesome when the firefighters came in and bringing awareness of the job. We’re not fighting fires every day, most of it’s medicine,” Christensen said after the presentation about why he volunteered to help out with the kids. He hoped to inspire kids, while teaching them critical skills.
Christensen’s perception of the district’s calls is spot-on. According to the district’s 2024 data, the majority of calls they receive are medical calls. Deputy Chief Dave Piper recently reported EMS and accidents account for 70 percent of the district’s calls. District officials say that trend hasn’t slowed down thus far in 2025, either.
“Getting Firefighter Jackie into schools to teach CPR and basic first aid has been a top priority because these skills are critical,” Manhattan Fire Protection District Chief Steve Malone said of the program.
The fire district has been working especially hard to raise awareness about hands-only CPR, as it can make a significant difference in saving lives. For a person in cardiac arrest, each minute without CPR decreases a person’s chances of survival by 10 percent.
“This event is a perfect example of how we’re working to ensure our community is better prepared for emergencies. The work Firefighter Jackie does is truly invaluable and makes a lasting impact on the safety and well-being of those we serve,” Malone added.
It’s clear that Palkovitz enjoys her job — and is good at it, too — judging by her ability to captivate the otherwise boisterous fifth-graders itching to enjoy summer break.
“Any opportunity we get to teach the youth, it empowers them to do the right thing. It helps them not be afraid of us when we’re responding to calls,” Palkovitz said, noting that it’s vital children know that EMS is there to help them.
Both the assisting firefighters, Murray and Christensen, said they enjoyed working with the kids and helping them learn important skills.
“Just happy our First Responders in Manhattan, both fire and police, work so closely with our school district in all capacities, and we can provide these types of in-services for our kids. Last week, the police department did a cyber safety presentation. This is what makes Manhattan special,” Manhattan Intermediate School Principal Ryan McWilliams said of the program.
Stephanie Irvine is a freelance reporter.