Fair Harbor, N.Y. — July 25 — Firefighters and EMTs from the Fair Harbor Fire Department spent Saturday training on crew resource management and pit-crew CPR during a cardiac-arrest simulation.

The drill focused on how clearly defined roles, communication and teamwork can help emergency crews work efficiently during a cardiac arrest. Members reviewed the different positions used in a pit-crew model before putting those assignments into practice during a full CPR simulation.

Crew resource management gives emergency-service teams a structured approach to communication, decision-making, situational awareness and teamwork. The International Association of Fire Chiefs identifies these factors as important parts of reducing errors and improving fire-service operations.

Pit-crew CPR uses a similar team-based approach, with responders assigned specific tasks so multiple parts of a resuscitation can be performed at the same time. The American Heart Association's 2025 CPR guidelines recognize defined-role pit-crew approaches as one way to improve team function and CPR quality during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest responses.