BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Brittany Mesa-Bailey, the recreation specialist with the City of Bakersfield, says the program offered $5 pediatric first aid, CPR/AED, and water safety courses to 75 participants.
“CPR training is extremely important. You wanna be able to respond in any type of emergency. You definitely want to be able to respond within a minute.”
The City of Bakersfield and the American Red Cross have partnered to offer discounted CPR and first aid training to parents, caregivers, guardians, and individuals ages 17 and under—all in an effort to lower the rate of death by drowning, which is a leading cause of death for children in the U.S., according to the American Red Cross.
“If you could get that knowledge in and be able to prevent something from getting really serious, take that opportunity as best as you can, especially if it’s something that the community can offer for you at a very reduced rate,” said Mesa-Bailey.
Since opening registration at the McMurtrey Aquatic Center, all slots have been booked, but Mesa-Bailey advocates for still learning these skills and raise awareness about drowning prevention.
“If something were to take a turn, you wanna be able to have those skills to help out prior to EMS arriving. And if even if that’s pulling someone out of the water and doing compressions until EMS could take over, that’s gonna be that or just being aware of how to prevent something from occurring to your best ability,” said Mesa-Bailey.
While the discounted CPR courses are all full, you can still get CPR certified through the American Red Cross linked here.
Stay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere:
