HARLINGEN — CPR training, active shooter classes and health booths are a few of the activities presented to the community Saturday morning.
For the first time, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. different departments in the city joined to launch “Save a life,” a free community event to learn basic life saving skills.
Valley Baptist Medical Center, Harlingen Medical Center and the Harlingen Police and Fire Department joined forces to the training.
Rene Perez, director of transport services for the South Texas Emergency Care Foundation and registered nurse paramedic, said one of the free classes they offered was “Stop the bleed” to help in emergency situations.
“If something were to happen, we have to emphasize bleeding is the number one preventable death,” Perez said.
The Harlingen Police Department did an active shooter training. It explained what to do to keep safe and alive.
The Harlingen Fire Department taught a CPR hands only class.
“If somebody collapses on the ground we show them how to assess a patient. Everything we are doing here is in partnership with all the groups,” Perez said.
“I think it’s important that the whole community knows all these life saving techniques and they can save a life,” Perez said.
For it being its first year, Perez said the classes were filling up. The event will be an annual training they hope to continue.
Laurie Johnson, RN from Valley Baptist, said the event gave the public a chance to learn skills that can help out.
“We are teaching people to do CPR with their hands only that is something we all can participate in,” she said.
“This year we are taking notes to make it bigger and better next year. We ask the community to not be afraid and learn the skills and have the knowledge. One day the life you maybe saved is someone you very much love,” Johnson said.
