Dear friends,

I now have my CPR, Choking, and EPI pen training certificate. I attended a nine hour workshop with EMTs and am now certified.

I think all teachers, or people for that matter, should get CPR training at the very least. As an educator, it's very possible for a student to have an allergic reaction to peanuts while eating lunch or bee stings while playing outside. Although the training took nine hours of my Saturday, I feel more equipped and ready to handle emergency situations.

They taught us the 1,2,3, A, B, Cs. For any emergency, you should always follow these steps:

1) YOU. Scan the area to make sure the area is safe for you.
2) THE VICTIM. See if the victim is conscious and responsive by tapping both shoulders of the adult and yelling "Wake up!" or by tapping the feet and hands of the infant/child while also loudly asking them to respond to you.
3) 911- Tell a nearby bystander to dial 911 and that you have a non-responsive, unconscious (adult / child) who needs an ambulance. Tell the bystander to also grab the AED defibrillator at the security desk (or nearby) and come back.

A) AIRWAY- Check the victim's airway by listening for a breathe and watching the chest
B) BREATHE- If the victim is not breathing, give them two breaths
C) CIRCULATION- Check for a pulse. If there is no pulse, begin CPR

It was a very good workshop. I took the workshop with Lifesaving Enterprises (212-579-CPR7) through my work. (info@lifesavingenterprises.com).