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May 19th, 2026

Our Team Is Now CPR/AED Certified!

Read on for a behind-the-scenes look at our team’s CPR/AED training.

By The Art Toolkit Team

Participants practicing CPR on training mannequins in a classroom setting. Various supplies and a clipboard are visible nearby.

Earlier this month at the Art Toolkit warehouse, our team attended a CPR/AED training organized by Office Manager Chelsea Heron from a desire to increase safety and readiness in our community. We hope this post might inspire you and communities of all sizes to get CPR-certified, as well as to consider ways to look out for each other’s well-being!

A woman stands in a warehouse-like setting, gesturing with her hands while discussing a training session. A CPR training mannequin lies on the floor nearby, along with various boxes and equipment on shelves in the background.
Heather Mirczak teaching us about compressions.
A group of people is participating in a CPR training session. Several CPR mannequins are set up on the floor, while an instructor demonstrates techniques. The setting features shelves filled with boxes in the background.
Heather demonstrates compressions on a dummy.

The CPR/AED training, led by local instructor Heather Mirczak, consisted of how to correctly administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and how to operate an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) on both children and adults.

What We Learned

We learned how to compress the chest and tilt the head back in CPR, with plenty of hands-on practice with dummies. We practiced scenarios in which we came across an unconscious person and had to move them out of danger, or roll them over into the recovery position.

A person kneels on the floor, demonstrating CPR techniques on a life-sized mannequin. They have a beard, are wearing a blue beanie and a black shirt, and are focused on the task. The setting appears to be an indoor space with shelves in the background.
A man with long hair smiles while performing chest compressions on a CPR training mannequin in a spacious, modern training facility.
Two men in a warehouse are practicing CPR on a mannequin. One man kneels beside the mannequin while the other performs chest compressions.
Three individuals are practicing CPR techniques on a training mannequin in a well-lit indoor space. Two people kneel beside the mannequin, while one applies pressure to the chest. A staircase is visible in the background.

Overall, the training was a lot of fun! We enjoyed practicing compressions to the rhythm of “Stayin’ Alive” by Bee Gees, eating snacks, and getting to know each other in a more playful context. We also developed the confidence and skills to save a life with CPR/AED in an emergency.

About Our Instructor

Heather Mirczak began teaching CPR/AED a year ago, when she realized there was a gap in the community. Heather works full time at the ReCyclery of Jefferson County, which is organizing a Bike Bus this month for Bike Everywhere Month.

A woman kneels beside a CPR training mannequin, demonstrating first aid techniques in a training setting. Red training supplies and a large black case are visible in the background.
Heather visited the Art Toolkit warehouse to teach our team about life-saving responses, including CPR.
A smiling person wearing a helmet and a light jacket poses next to a bicycle, with bright flowering bushes in the background. Sunlight filters through the trees, creating a cheerful outdoor scene.
Heather is an avid biker and works in community outreach with the ReCyclery in Port Townsend, Washington.

Heather emphasizes that getting the skills is more important than perfection, which is so helpful to keep in mind. Thank you so much for training us, Heather! If you’re local to the Olympic Peninsula and would like to schedule a training with Heather, reach out to us at hello@arttoolkit.com, and we’ll introduce you!

We love sharing what our team gets up to, between planning, announcements, and hosting events, and hope you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look at the goings on of our team.
An artist sites on a rock, dipping a paintbrush in a Pocket Palette.

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