FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE            November 30, 2009

Clark County Red Cross to offer CPR for the Professional Rescuer Review

The Clark County Red Cross will offer a CPR for the Professional Rescuer class on December 15.  This course is intended for lifeguards and medical professionals who must be familiar with the more advanced two-person CPR rescue techniques, in a review-for-renewal setting.

“We tend to get lots of calls from college students, home for the holidays, who want to go ahead and renew their CPR certificates so they can be ahead of the game when it is time to apply for or return to their lifeguard jobs after the spring semester is over,” said Health & Safety Program Director Kate Merchant.  “We also get requests from nurses, doctors and other health care professionals, so we decided to offer this course just before the end of the year.”

Additionally, the Chapter will hold a course for people interested in becoming Lay Responder level CPR-First Aid Instructors.  The course will begin on Tuesday, Jan. 5, and will continue on the next two Tuesdays – Jan. 12 and Jan. 19.  Students who successfully complete the course will be certified to teach Adult CPR, Infant and Child CPR, First Aid and Automated External Defibrillator (AED). 

For more information on these classes or any of the classes offered at the Clark County Red Cross, contact the Chapter at 812-283-8416, e-mail ccrc.cpr@insightbb.com or visit our website www.clarkredcross.org.

2nd Nurse Assistant Training Class taking Registrations

The Nurse Aide Training (CNA) program is currently taking registrations for its next class.  All interested students need to be registered by December 18.  The 138-hour course consists of two weeks of classroom work and two weeks of clinical training.  The course costs $675.  For more information or to register for the class, contact the Chapter at 812-283-8416, ccrc.nat@insightbb.com or visit the Chapter website at www.clarkredcross.org. Tuition assistance may be available.

SAF Program Expands Services to Military

In order to improve its support of military members and their families, the Clark County Red Cross Service to Armed Forces (SAF) program applied for and received grant money from the U.S. Department of Defense for the second year.  These funds will allow the Chapter to provide services to military families in both Clark and Washington counties, including an expanded “Get to Know Us Before You Need Us” program with bi-monthly meetings; scholarships for Red Cross classes such as CPR, First Aid, Babysitter Training and Nurse Assistant Training (CNA); support for military families both prior to and after deployment; information to local recruiters about Red Cross services and many other activities.

To facilitate these expanded services, part of the grant included funding for a full-time staff member, dedicated exclusively to the SAF program.  The Chapter is happy to announce that former staff member and long-time SAF volunteer Mary Lou Densford has been selected for that position.  Densford formerly was the Office Manager, and oversaw Health & Safety activities, until her retirement in 2005.  She has continued in a volunteer capacity as SAF chairperson, Disaster Services Nurse and was extensively involved with volunteer coordination efforts for the visit of the August 2009 LST and October 2009 display of The Moving Wall.

If you or a member of your family is an active duty or retired military, please contact the Chapter for additional information about the services we are able to provide.  You may contact us at 812-283-8416, (toll-free in Indiana) 800-850-8894 or via e-mail at mdensford@insightbb.com or ccrc.wilkinsp@insightbb.com

Pet Therapy Group

The Pet Therapy Group has grown to 45 teams and is making visits to 15 facilities.  If you are interested in having a team visit your school, church or organization contact the Chapter to find out how.  For more information about the Clark Co. Red Cross Pet Therapy program, or to request an application packet to join the group, contact Phyllis Wilkins at ccrc.wilkinsp@insightbb.com . 

Health & Safety Course Schedule

Adult CPR: Dec. 1, 6p-10p.; Dec. 12, 8a-12p.; Jan. 5, 6p-10p; Jan . 16, 8a-12p.

Infant/Child CPR: Dec. 12, 12:30-3p.; Jan. 16, 12:30p-3p.; Jan . 26, 6p-10p.

First Aid: Dec. 12, 3p-5p.; Jan. 16, 3p-5p

Bloodborne Pathogens:  Jan. 6, 6p-8p.

Babysitter’s Training: Jan 18, 8:30a-4:00p.

Blended Learning Skills Tests: Dec. 29, 3:30p.; Jan. 26, 3:30p

Lay Responder Instructor Course: January 5, 12 & 19, 2010.

CPR for the Professional Rescuer: Dec. 15, 9a-4p.

Wilderness First Aid: April 2010

Dog First Aid: TBA

Cat First Aid: TBA

Please contact the Chapter at 812-283-8416 to register for classes.

Visit our website – www.clarkredcross.org - for the complete 2009-10 Class Calendar.

Blood Drives Each Monday at the Chapter, 1805 E. 8th St., Jeffersonville, 1p-6p.

To make an appointment for donating blood, please call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE.

For questions regarding medical issues and blood donation, call 866-236-3276.

For more information about this release or other Red Cross Health and Safety activities, contact Kate Merchant at 812-283-8416 or e-mail ccrc.cpr@insightbb.com.

 About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

12.01.2009