FAIRFIELD COUNTY – In rural Fairfield County, where ambulances can take 15 minutes or more to arrive, one church is taking steps to make sure help for its community starts sooner.
Last month, Ronnie Armstrong, chairman of the deacon board at Red Hill Baptist Church in Blackjack, organized a hands-on heart attack and CPR training workshop at his home church, bringing in County EMS Director Patrick Duneen to train 18 congregation members ranging in age from 9 to 80 years old. All 18 participants completed the course and became certified.
“Out here, EMS isn’t right around the corner,” Armstrong said. “I wanted our members to be ready to help a friend, a loved one, or even a stranger until EMS gets there.”
The church, founded in 1879 and rebuilt in the mid-20th century, sits in a rural stretch of the county where access to emergency care can be limited. Armstrong, 47, has served the congregation in multiple leadership roles over the years— including trustee, chairman of the trustee board, and now chairman of the deacon board.
“As leaders, we’re supposed to look out for the congregation,” he said. “And I saw a real need.”
Armstrong contacted Duneen and proposed holding training at the church. The plan was to keep classes small—about 10 to 15 people—to ensure hands-on instruction. Interest quickly exceeded expectations.
“We thought we’d have about 12,” Armstrong said. “It ended up being 18, and it was a great day.”
The three-hour workshop ran from 9 a.m. to noon. EMS staff brought mannequins and equipment and taught CPR for adults and infants, how to recognize cardiac arrest, and what to do in respiratory emergencies. Participants worked in small groups, rotating through stations with the mannequins.
“We covered worst-case scenarios,” Armstrong said. “We’ve got toddlers, babies, adults— everybody. And our members really learned quickly.”
Two of the youngest participants were Armstrong’s own children, ages 9 and 13.
“They were certified just like everybody else,” he said.
Armstrong said one of the most important lessons focused on proper assessment and consent.
“They stressed that you always try to get consent if the person is responsive,” he said. “You talk to them, ask their name, the date, who the president is—calm them down and let them know you’re there to help.”
Another key lesson involved infant care.
“A lot of older folks said they learned something new,” Armstrong said. “If a baby is unresponsive, you don’t shake them. You tickle or press the bottom of their feet to get a response. That really stuck with us.”
Duneen told participants that in rural communities, trained bystanders can play a critical role before EMS arrives.
“In places like this, those first few minutes matter,” Armstrong said, relaying the message. “If you can recognize what’s happening and act correctly, you can save a life.”
Armstrong said the workshop was the first of its kind at the church and, to his knowledge, the first time county EMS had provided certification training at any church in the area.
“We’re already planning a second session for the rest of the congregation,” he said. “And I’m trying to encourage other churches to do the same.”
His goal is simple.
“If every church had a few people trained,” Armstrong said, “that’s a lot more people ready to help when it matters most.”
