Free community CPR class offered by Little Rice Volunteer Fire Department

TOWN OF LITTLE RICE – The Little Rice Volunteer Fire Department is inviting area residents to take part in a free community cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) class next month.

The class will be held at the Lynne Town Hall, 5102 Willow Rd., Tripoli, on Saturday, Sept. 12 from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The class is open to community members ages 10 and older, and no previous medical or emergency-response experience is needed.

“When a cardiac emergency happens, the first person available to help is often not a firefighter, EMT, nurse or doctor,” the department said in a release. “It may be a spouse, coworker, neighbor, friend – or even a child or teenager.”

The department said the class will offer the opportunity for attendees to “learn the skills that could help them respond during those critical first few minutes.”

Participants will receive hands-on instruction in CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), with opportunities to practice the skills they learn. The course will be taught by American Heart Association-certified instructors.

The department noted that cardiac emergencies can happen anywhere – at home, at work, at school, at a sporting event, while enjoying the outdoors or at a family gathering.

“In rural communities especially, there may be valuable minutes between the onset of an emergency and the arrival of professional responders,” the department stated. “Knowing how to recognize a cardiac emergency, call 911, begin CPR and use an AED can give an individual the confidence to act rather than wait helplessly for someone else to arrive.”

The department said it is offering the class at no cost to participants “as part of its commitment to serving and strengthening the community.”

“CPR is a skill we hope someone never has to use, but when it is needed, knowing what to do can make an enormous difference,” said Little Rice Volunteer Fire Department Chief Larry Mathein. “You don't have to be a medical professional to learn CPR. We want people in our community to feel confident that they can step forward and help until emergency responders arrive.”

“You may never need to perform CPR, but if someone you care about needs it, you will be glad you learned how,” the department stated.

To register for the class, call or text “CPR” to 715-966-0250.

The department said it encourages community members to register with a spouse, friend, coworker, teenager or other family member.