FRANKLIN — In an effort to empower residents with life-saving skills, the Franklin Rotary and the Franklin-Treadwell Community Conversation are hosting a free, hands-only CPR and AED training on Thursday, May 8 at 6 p.m. The event will be held at the Open Doors United Methodist Church, 475 Main Street in Franklin.
The session will be led by Kim Van Atta of Walton, a certified instructor through the American Safety and Health Institute and former instructor with the American Red Cross. Participants will learn how to perform chest-compression-only CPR and how to operate an automated external defibrillator (AED), a device commonly found in schools, public buildings and offices.
Hands-only CPR is not only just as effective in the first few minutes of a cardiac emergency—it’s also faster to learn and less intimidating than traditional methods, Van Atta said. “It gives everyday people the confidence to act in a crisis.”
The training is open to individuals ages 15 and up. There is no cost to attend, though participants who wish to receive a certificate of completion may do so for $7.50.
Organizers note that if you learned CPR before 2008, the method has since changed. This is a critical update and a valuable refresher.
The event supports Rotary International’s broader mission of promoting health, education and humanitarian service locally and globally.
For more information, contact franklinrotary7170@gmail.com
