Grey County and local first responders are hosting free family first aid information sessions to help families prepare for an emergency.
Participants can visit interactive stations where first responders and emergency staff will give lessons about specific life-saving skills including CPR and AED use, controlling bleeding, choking and overall emergency and disaster preparedness.
Three two-hour sessions are planned over the next month, taking place Durham, Thornbury, and Owen Sound.
The first session is coming up Saturday, May 11 at Spruce Ridge Community School in Durham. Families must pre-register to ensure enough demand to hold the session.
Each session will run from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. with doors opening at 9 a.m. Sessions include:
Saturday, May 25 at the Beaver Valley Community School in Thornbury; and Saturday, June 8 at East Ridge Community School in Owen Sound.
Sessions will only move forward if enough families register. Registration can be completed online through Eventbrite, through www.Grey.ca or by calling 519-372-0219 ext. 1257.
“Emergencies can happen to anyone. The better prepared your family is for a crisis, the better the outcome will be. Family First Aid will teach parents and children what to do in different kinds of emergencies, how to call for help and what to expect when first responders arrive,” said Marlene McLevy, emergency systems coordinator with Grey County.
“We want to give families across the county the opportunity to learn these potentially life-saving skills, but we can only go ahead with the events if there is enough interest in the community,” explained McLevy. “If your family is interested in attending, be sure to register early to avoid disappointment.”
Each family that participates will take home information packages with emergency preparedness tips, and details about how they can become formally trained and certified in first aid.
