WEST PARIS – Tri Town Ambulance Service announced two new community education programs to teach cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid.
“We’re hoping that more and more people learn CPR and first aid,” said Assistant Rescue Chief Stan Larson. “If people can start CPR or first aid within minutes of the medical need, there will be a much better chance of survival.”
Larson said the need for CPR and first aid training is growing and noted that the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is requiring a certain percentage of employees in high-risk business be trained in the courses.
He said Tri Town has tried to make courses as affordable as possible, with costs ranging from $20 to $40, depending on the level of instruction.
Some classes are geared toward children, some toward health care professionals and some toward the average person.
He said course costs cover Tri Town’s expenses for books, mannequins and mannequin replacement parts.
“They have removable lungs that we have to replace after every use,” Larson said. “We just spent $1,000 to buy four mannequins and an AED trainer.”
An AED is automated external defibrillator, a device used to help a stalled or stopped heart get restarted electronically.
Larson said the ambulance service intends to offer two courses per month and is willing to add more classes if needed.
He said Tri Town has four CPR instructors; two can also teach first aid.
Larson said the next training, a health care provider course, will be held Jan. 31. He said the CPR courses can range from three hours to eight hours, depending on the level of the class.
To sign up for a course, or get more information, phone Tri Town at 674-2400.
jsmedley@sunjournal.com
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