To commemorate the first anniversary of the tragedies of September 11, the National Safety Council (NSC) and its San Diego Chapter will offer everyone an opportunity to better prepare themselves for emergencies. NSC will offer its online Basic First Aid & CPR training program free of charge from September 11-18. This is a rare opportunity for those in Rancho Bernardo who do not need certification to get this training. Remember to mark it down on your calendar.

"Over the past year, we have all experienced a heightened concern about our preparedness for emergencies," said NSC President Alan McMillan. "The actions people take in the first few minutes of an emergency can make the difference between life and death. However, knowing what to do does not come naturally. Effective training is the only way to make the appropriate action feel like a natural response. One of the lessons of September 11 is that we must be prepared for emergencies. The National Safety Council believes that taking First Aid and CPR training are good starting points to prepare adults and children alike."

The interactive Basic First Aid and CPR course, developed in partnership with Jones and Bartlett Publishers, uses clearly-presented learning points, advanced graphics, interactive animations, realistic sound effects, video clips and a variety of exercises. Participants obtain comprehensive knowledge, while experiencing the sights and sounds of real emergency situations.

The course usually takes about two hours to complete, but the course can be taken at one's own pace. Interested in this free offering? You do not need to sign up in advance. On September 11-18, the free program will be available through a link from the National Safety Council home page at: www.nsc.org/

The National Safety Council, America's safety and health leader for 90 years, is a nongovernmental public service organization with 50 local chapters around the country and members representing 37,500 business and labor organizations, schools, public agencies and private groups.

Gayle Newman, Director, National Safety Council, San Diego reminds us, "One of the lessons of September 11 is that we must be prepared for emergencies. The National Safety Council believes that taking First Aid and CPR training are good beginning points to prepare all families." Call Gayle at 858-451-8377 for more information.

NOTE: Certification is not provided with the Basic First Aid and CPR program. Professionals requiring certification must take other courses (either Adult CPR, First Aid and CPR Standard, Professional Rescuer CPR or Adult and Pediatric CPR) that include hands-on skill training.

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Did you know that a season of Community Concerts (4 performances) is only $50.00? Individual performances are $20.00 each. Check out Community Concerts on www.rbernardo.com under "Organizations" for information about the performers and the dates or call 451-3459 or 485-9063.