First aid, CPR training available in Tri-Cities. Community members urged to participate
It’s one thing to know that emergencies happen, to be trained and prepared in case there is a life-threatening medical issue. It’s another thing entirely to experience the situation in real life, to have to utilize that training, to hope that it works.
Staff and shoppers at the Kennewick Costco experienced this reality July 9 when a 4-year-old girl began choking in the food court. Despite bystander and first responder attempts to use the Heimlich maneuver and CPR to save her life, the child died.
While the emergency responses could not save the 4-year-old, it is immensely important that community members have basic first aid training and feel comfortable jumping in during emergency situations.
Heimlich and CPR basics
The Cleveland Clinic offers steps for performing the Heimlich maneuver. This is recommended for adults and children but not infants. If an infant is choking, pat their back. Otherwise, confirm that a person is choking, that they cannot cough up the object blocking their airway and their life is in danger. Then do the following:
Stand behind them. Put your arms around their abdomen.
Make a fist with one hand, then clasp your other hand around it.
Place the thumb side of your fist just below their ribcage, about two inches above their belly button.
Thrust your hands inward and upward five times, using quick, sharp movements.
Repeat until their airway is cleared or they become unconscious, in which case you should start CPR.
According to the American Red Cross, follow these steps if you have to give an adult CPR:
Check for responsiveness, breathing and life-threatening conditions. Try shouting, then tapping them and shouting again.
If the adult does not respond and is not breathing correctly, call 911 and get safety equipment, or instruct others to do so.
Place them on their back on a flat, firm surface, then kneel next to them. Open their airway by placing one hand on their forehead and two fingers from your other hand under the tip of their chin. Gently lift the chin up while tilting their head back.
Perform 30 chest compressions. Center both of your hands on their chest with your shoulders directly over your hands and your elbows locked. Apply at least two inches of pressure at a rate of 100 to 120 per minute, letting their chest go back to normal after each compression.
Give two breaths. Their airway needs to be in that open position. Pinch their nose shut and take a normal breath. Completely cover their mouth with yours and breathe out for about a second. Check that their chest rises and the air exits before doing the second breath.
Alternate between 30 chest compressions and two breaths until help arrives. Use an AED as soon as possible.
The steps are largely the same for giving CPR to children or babies, with mainly compressions changing.
For a child: Place one hand in the center of their chest. Place your other hand on top, interlacing your fingers off their chest. Apply about two inches of pressure per compression.
For a small child: Place the heel of one hand in the center of their chest. Apply about two inches of pressure per compression.
For a baby: Place both your thumbs next to each other in the center of their chest and use the rest of your hand to hold and support the baby. OR use two fingers parallel to the chest, placed in the center. Apply about an inch and a half of pressure per compression.
Tri-Cities first aid and CPR training
There are numerous options for first aid training in Tri-Cities. Many people are offered training through their school or work, so check what is available for you.
Columbia Safety offers in-person and online training for groups. It has trained city and county staff in Tri-Cities, along with numerous local businesses and organizations. Staff can come to you for on-site training, or the group can meet at the Columbia Safety building at 418 N. Kellogg St. in Kennewick. Request a quote online.
CPR/AED Training
First aid training
CPR/AED and first aid
Wilderness first aid
Spanish first aid and CPR
HIV/AIDS and bloodborne pathogens
Pet CPR
“Aside from the obvious ability to help a person in an emergency situation, CPR and First Aid training can help teach you exactly how to determine the victim’s needs at the moment, what signs to look for in a heart attack or choking episode, and how to best treat some sudden illnesses,” reads the Columbia Safety FAQ site.
The American Red Cross has a Kennewick location at 7202 W. Deschutes Ave. and offers training for individuals and organizations. Classes can be started online, then finished in person within 90 days to receive certification. Total cost will vary from $37 to $117 depending on the courses chosen. First aid classes cover a variety of emergency responses, including stroke recognition, heat-related emergencies, severe bleeding and how to provide other basic care while awaiting first responders.
First aid, CPR and AED training for adults, children and babies
First aid, CPR and AED training for adults
CPR and AED training for adults
First aid, CPR and AED training for children and babies
First aid training
Child care certification
“As a parent, I’m devastated to hear what happened and can only imagine the grief that anyone who witnessed it is experiencing, let alone the family who lost one of their own, a young member of their family...” said Betsy Robertson, American Red Cross regional communications director, in an interview with McClatchy. “I hope it inspires more people to be trained.”
Robertson said empowerment is a big part of the class, educating participants how to assess and approach an emergency situation and offer help. One of the goals of the training is to help people feel confident enough to utilize first aid skills.
▪ Kadlec Regional Medical Center
Kadlec offers online and in-person training options through the American Heart Association. The starter CPR course is free to take online. Further training costs between $45 and $95. The full schedule is available online.
The CPR Test Center offers fully online training that meet state certification requirements. All classes are free, but testing for certification comes with a $25 fee. Courses cover CPR, AED and first aid training for adults, children and infants.
