This month, Club Red at Elizabethtown College offered two adult CPR and AED certification classes on Monday, Feb. 11 and Sunday, Feb. 17. The classes cost $40 per person and allowed students to be certified in adult CPR and AED use for two years.
Senior Sarah Creme, the president of Club Red at Etown, taught both certification classes. Creme said that attendance at the classes was down this semester, citing that she certified seven people this month compared to the 22 people she certified last semester. However, she said that the average number of students per class is about 10, so she has no concerns about the slightly below average turnout.Creme also knows that there will always be a population of students at Etown that are required to be certified, in addition to those who wish to “educate for service.”
“Our target population is occupational therapy students who are required to be certified for their major,” Creme said.
She added that with this in mind, “Club Red took the initiative to provide OT students, and all other Etown students with a cheaper way to do volunteer work.” She hopes that by making the classes more affordable for Etown students, there will be a greater interest in the student body to volunteer to get certified.
To remind students of how much they are saving, she said, “Normally the Red Cross charges $70 for each certification, but we only charge $40 per student.”
“The price was right for me,” Jessica Leidy, a sophomore at Etown who recently got certified, said. Leidy also said that she has never been CPR certified before and added, “I definitely feel more comfortable now if an emergency were to occur.” She believes that her certification also makes her feel more comfortable being an R.A. and education major, both of which require emergency preparedness.
Creme said the main components of the class are teaching students how to respond to an emergency and check for breathing problems, in addition to teaching students the proper techniques of CPR on adults (18 years or older). She also said that the class teaches students the proper way to use an AED machine along with CPR. She believes that this is one of the most important components of the class because she said, “Most students aren’t aware of the AEDs on campus and if there is an emergency that requires resuscitation, CPR alone will not save them.”
Creme urges every student on campus to become CPR and AED certified, so he or she knows the proper way to save a life in the event of an emergency. She said, “It’s one of the best ways to be educated for service and a life skill that will never leave you.” She would like to remind students that there will be more adult CPR and AED certification classes this semester. Students who are interested are asked to contact Club Red at CLUBRED@etown.edu.