KNIGHTDALE - Kenneth Jarmon spooned the last of his tomato soup into his mouth, hurrying to finish his lunch with enough time to speak.

“Y’all better save me if I get choked,” he tells the crowd at the Dec. 20 Knightdale Chamber of Commerce luncheon held at a local restaurant.

The 20-or-so businessmen and women glance at each other and laugh nervously.

Turns out, Jarmon would be blue in the face before his fellow Chamber members figured out how to save him.

But that’s where Jarmon comes in.

Jarmon, a volunteer fireman and owner of CPR Plus, makes his living by training people how to help in emergency situations. Last week, he took his training – and his passion – to a local Applebee’s where he taught a small group the basics of emergency response.

“Our Creator endowed us with this mission to love and care for each other,” he said. “We hope to equip everyone with the ability to save a life, whether it’s a family member or a stranger ... or even a pet.”

The topics ranged from using the proper CPR technique on infants to making impromptu slings to removing ticks.

But first, the basics. None of his audience members said they had witnessed an emergency situation where someone was suffering a heart attack or was choking.

And if presented with the situation, few said they would even take action to help.

“Now, why is it that?” he asked. “Fear of failure, liability, or ... the sight of blood are the most common reasons.”

The Good Samaritan law protects the public against lawsuits, he said. And those with the proper training soon learn to overcome their fears in emergency situations.

Jarmon, in dark slacks and ironed white shirt with a black sweater vest, used a mannequin to demonstrate proper CPR form: 20 chest compressions, two breaths to the victim, repeat.

“It’s a lot harder than it looks ... you need to be trained, certified, and in shape,” he said. “But once you are, you can save lives.”

CPR CLASS