When someone suffers a heart attack, every second counts and can help make a difference between death and survival.
That is one reason the Carter County Rescue Squad has worked to create a partnership to offer free cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) classes for the community.
“We want to get out to the community the importance of CPR,” said CCRS Capt. Ed McNeil.
According to McNeil, learning CPR is a skill that can benefit everyone but certain groups of people should give serious thought to earning their certification.
“New mothers and anyone with elderly relatives should have CPR training,” McNeil said.
For years the Rescue Squad has been working with local law enforcement and firefighters to provide them with free training for CPR and the use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). Now, thanks to a partnership with the American Safety and Health Institute (ASHI), the Rescue Squad will also be able to provide that training free to the public.
The course will cover CPR for adults, children and infants and will also teach participants how to use an AED unit.
McNeil said the course will be taught using the ASHI materials and methods. While many associate CPR training with the American Heart Association, McNeil said the training provided by ASHI is just the same but comes at a lower cost to the Rescue Squad.
“It’s a federally accredited program,” McNeil said of ASHI. “They are no different than the American Heart Association.”
So far, the Rescue Squad has set up two class dates for the public — Saturday April 30 and Saturday May 14.
“We are going to offer two dates to start with,” McNeil said. “There will be more to come but those are the first two we’re going to set up.”
Additional classes will be added based on response to the initial classes, he said.
Class will begin at 9 a.m. on both days and will be held at the Carter County Rescue Squad main station, which is located at 105 Iodent Way, just off Highway 91.
Advance registration is highly recommended as space is limited in the classes.
“We have to keep the class to 20 people,” McNeil said.
To sign up for one of the classes, call the Carter County Rescue Squad at 423-543-5445 ext. 115 and speak with Eric Shepherd between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.