When a large fire, a flood or another type of national disaster occurs--or when an individual faints, falls or suffers a cataclysmic medical incident--people who have been trained to administer CPR will find themselves the objects of great appreciation. Those who have been trained to perform this lifesaving service agree that it's not difficult to learn, but in today's fast-paced society, finding the time to learn CPR is often the single biggest obstacle to overcome. If you are in a position to launch a community-wide CPR training program, you might be surprised to find your class filled once they see how convenient you've made it.
Instructions
1. Select viable dates for the class sessions. A good time frame for scheduling CPR classes is in early September, when people are back from summer break and kids have returned to school. Another excellent choice is April--after spring break but before graduation and prom season kicks in.
2. Find a spacious site for the training sessions. School classrooms and gyms are ideal because they offer plenty of room to spread out and conduct demonstrations. Town halls and large community centers are also great places to hold classes. Get a signed agreement to make certain you've secured the venue.
3. Hire certified instructors. Some of the best places to find well-trained CPR teachers will be found in hospitals, fire departments and the Red Cross. Investigate each of these resources and follow up on others. Once dates and venue bookings are set, it's time to select instructors able to teach classes at that time.
4. Meet with your instructor to draw up a list of supplies and equipment you will be responsible for providing. CPR instructors can obtain some of the medical supplies and mannequins necessary to demonstrate lifesaving methods, but you will be responsible for providing necessities like tables, chairs, audio-visual equipment, teaching aids like whiteboards or blackboards, office supplies and whatever auxiliary items the class requires per the instructor's list.
5. Order specialized materials like CPR skill cards, participant booklets, first aid literature, books and study guides from a central source. Pass along the cost of these supplies to registrants. The Red Cross recommends ordering proprietary materials from their nearest office several weeks before class starts or go directly to the Red Cross supplier, shopstaywell.com (see resources).
6. Advertise your classes early and often. The easiest ways to do this are: hang fliers throughout the community, promote the classes on school, community center, city, village and county websites. Alert local radio and TV broadcasters and ask them to run a public service announcement for you. Think creatively about other opportunities for capturing the attention of those most likely to seek CPR training.
7. Keep in touch with class members as they progress through the series of classes. People who find themselves confused or overwhelmed are often too embarrassed to admit that they don't get it, so make it easy for such people to come to you privately as the CPR class coordinator for help and advice.
8. Celebrate the end of the class with refreshments, certificates and other rewards that let participants know that not only have they done a great thing but that their community is grateful to them for learning this lifesaving skill. It's not unusual to read human-interest stories from the newspaper about people who never thought they would be called upon to administer CPR, and then found themselves turning into something of a neighborhood hero after using their new-found skill.
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