Firefighters build a life-saving business

Sept. 12--GROTON -- A small Groton business started by two firefighters has grown from serving a handful of clients three years ago, to training more than 240 people in CPR and providing life safety and risk assessments to businesses.

Christopher Clarkin, deputy fire marshal and assistant chief of the Old Mystic Fire Department, and Ryan Parker, volunteer inspector and lieutenant with the department, started Assured Safety, LLC in 2013.

Parker wanted to teach CPR to more people. Clarkin wanted to offer advice on code requirements. So they combined ideas.

"There's actually a bigger market than you think," Clarkin said.

Assured Safety trained 14 people in CPR the first year, 45 people last year and 241 so far this year.

Last month, the business became a designated American Heart Association training center for CPR, which allows it to issue CPR certification cards directly instead of obtaining them through Lawrence + Memorial Hospital.

Fred Potter, training center coordinator for L+M, said he worked with Parker to accomplish the designation because of his "demonstrated strong commitment to providing life-saving education to the community."

"He's one of my most active CPR instructors," Potter said.

Assured Safety also opened an office at 1 Fort Hill Road six months ago to accommodate training without having to rent space.

CPR Certification is a requirement for employees including medical office staff, child care providers and utility linesmen, Parker said.

"I just got a new job and they require it," said Nicole Menihan, 20, of Ledyard, who attended a First Aid and CPR class last week. She'll be working as a residential aid in group homes and wants to be prepared in case something happens, she said.

The opioid crisis has also raised awareness of the need for life-saving skills, Clarkin said. Narcan, a drug to counteract a heroin overdose, may not always be available.

"The first line of defense for (an overdose) if you don't have Narcan is CPR," he said.

The office also plans to offer a free class called "Friends and Family CPR", to up to 40 people this fall. The date has not yet been set. Assured Safety also gives classes in senior life safety and pet First Aid and CPR.

Along with CPR instruction, the firefighters found a market among businesses seeking safety assessments and advice on meeting code requirements. Businesses like child care centers, hotels, restaurants and apartment complexes make up about one-third of their client base.

"Most of the issues that we see in the business side of the world are lack of knowledge," Clarkin said.

The company is also working as a consultant for insurance companies, which hire the team to inspect buildings needing insurance and report back on what they find.

As far as Parker knows, no one trained in CPR by the company has had to use it yet.

But he added, "I'm sure as we continue to train more people in high quality CPR, one of our students will use the skills they learned to save a life."

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