Make 2011 the year you learn life-saving skills

The EmergyCare Training Institute is gearing up for another year of providing life-saving skills education to medical providers, school and daycare workers, volunteer fire departments and caring citizens who want to have the skills to help when a medical emergency strikes.

The CPR class is offered monthly and provides four hours of instruction in recognizing the signs of four major emergencies: heart attack, stroke, cardiac arrest and foreign body airway obstruction (choking).  The class also teaches the basics of adult CPR and the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) which are becoming increasingly common in public places.  Child and infant emergencies will also be covered.  Education Coordinator Jim Kifer suggests "the CPR class is a great way for the average person to arm themselves with basic life-saving techniques that could save the life of a family member or perfect stranger some day."

For those interested in more detailed instruction or a career in the emergency medical field, there are two Emergency Medical Technician - Basic classes starting in early February.  One will be held at EmergyCare and the other at the Union City Fire Department.  This class provides 129 hours of instruction over five months covering the knowledge and skills needed to provide basic pre-hospital care:  assessment of injuries and illness; CPR; control of bleeding and shock; overview of anatomy and physiology; and more.  Students who successfully complete the course are eligible to sit for the PA practical skills and written examination to try to obtain their EMT certification through the PA Dept. of Health.

For more details and registration information on the CPR or EMT classes, please visit our website at www.emergycare.org.