Soldiers and Civilians train on Casey for CPR and first aid certification

By Jim Cunningham IMCOM-KOREAMarch 25, 2009

Soldiers and Civilians train on Casey for CPR and first aid certification
American Red Cross students (from left) Sarah Hileman, David Navarro, Katherina Bock, Kenneth Hills, and Taera Robbins practice infant CPR during class held in the Army Community Services classroom on USAG-Casey March 21. - U.S. Army photo by Jim Cun... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

CASEY GARRISON - Soldiers and Civilians, five in all, gathered in the Army Community Services classroom on USAG-Casey March 21 to learn and recertify themselves for first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, known popularly as CPR. The class taught techniques used to resuscitate infants, children and adults.

"I am here to learn CPR and first aid," said Pfc. David Navarro. "I am taking these courses because I like to be prepared for anything that happens. I work in a kitchen where accidents can happen every day."

Sgt. Homer Moore of 210th Fires Brigade received an e-mail announcing the time and place for the training and found a volunteer in Navarro.

"It is always good to be prepared and have the basic knowledge of CPR and first aid so you can help others when accidents happen," Navarro said.

Kathrina Bock took the class because she works around children when she volunteers to teach English off post.

"I want to have the basic knowledge to respond in the event of an emergency," Bock said. "I have been a Red Cross volunteer for the past two years, so now I am recertifying."

Bock is the wife of a Department of Defense contractor and believes it is a good thing for spouses to know CPR and first aid so they can respond when emergencies happen.

"Much of the time we spouses are left at home while the husbands are working," Bock said, "so it is vital we have good emergency skills."

Capt. Kenneth Hills of the 604th Air Support Operations Squadron was a Boy Scout master in the past and came to the class to recertify his CPR and first aid training.

"I think it is great we have the American Red Cross support us and be able to take advantage of these courses, whether it is CPR, or first aid, so we can be prepared and provide assistance on the scene," Hills said.

Sarah Hileman came to learn CPR and first aid because she works in day care centers and needs to be certified.

"I work with children and babysit a lot," Hileman said. "I figure it is time to get certified and the course is available now. I don't have a job at the moment, but I should be prepared for the future."

Hileman believes everyone should learn CPR for emergencies.

Taera Robbins is not associated with the military but she has a need to learn CPR and first aid skills.

"I will work in wildlife and camping with children and will start a job being a guide when I get back to the United States," Robbins said. "This class is actually a recertification for me, but I never thought I would find one in Korea in English."

Donnie Friend, Health and Safety chair for the American Red Cross on Casey just arrived from Germany and will be the CPR and first aid instructor for Area I.

"We try to get mothers to come in and get certified in CPR and first aid," Friend said. "My last wife passed away with breathing difficulties and they could not find out why her lungs failed. She was on oxygen for years and finally she was not able to maintain herself any longer. For that reason I learned rescue diving because you learn a lot about breathing. I became a teacher for the American Red Cross because I can learn more about respiration and what keeps people breathing."

The CPR and first aid classes are new to USAG-Casey and Friend believes people should know they are offered at the Casey American Red Cross.

"We will offer the classes once a month," Friend said. "If we have a good response and need to offer them more frequently, we will."

"In Area I we do not have a hospital, so we have to depend on hospitals off post. We have a very good clinic here on post, but when you deal with distant resources you may have to rely on persons with good CPR and first aid skills to save lives."