Posted: Thursday, December 17, 2009 9:07 am

he next course for Babysitter Training will be held at the local office located at 836 Commercial Court on Saturday, December 19th from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and the cost is $50 per student.

Each student should also bring a lunch to the course.

The Heart of Tennessee Chapter Babysitter’s Training program is open to girls and boys 11 to 15 years old. All courses are taught by an authorized Red Cross Babysitter’s Training instructor. Participants can register and pay online at www.midtnredcross.org or call 615.893.4272 ext. 102.

Course participants learn to administer basic first aid; properly hold and feed a child; take emergency action when needed; monitor safe play and actively engage children; and some may be certified in Infant and Child CPR. The Red Cross Babysitter Course can help students to—

· Care for children and infants.

· Be a good leader and role model.

· Make good decisions and solve problems.

· Keep the children they baby-sit and yourself safe

· Handle emergencies such as injuries, illnesses and household accidents.

· Write resumes and interview for jobs.

· And much more!

The Heart of Tennessee Chapter is also offering a Pet First Aid course. The session is $50 per person and the next course is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 19 from 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the local Red Cross Office on 836 Commercial Court.

Pet First Aid is a valuable resource for dog and cat owners as well as dog handlers for therapy dogs, police K-9 units and search and rescue units. Pet First Aid and CPR includes hands-on training, plus a companion pet first aid manual, Dog First Aid or Cat First Aid. The course is $50 and participants can register and pay online at www.midtnredcross.org or call 615.893.4272 ext. 102.

Topics covered in the Pet First Aid course include:

Recognizing and responding to an emergency.

How to know what is normal for your pet.

Determining dehydration and other health-threatening situations.

Keeping your pet's vaccinations up to date.

When to take your pet to the veterinarian.

The Heart of Tennessee Chapter of the American Red Cross provides vital emergency assistance to help victims of local disasters in Rutherford, Bedford, Cannon, Franklin, Coffee & Moore counties. Over the past year the Chapter trained nearly 15,000 people in CPR & First Aid, Babysitting and Aquatics training, and provided pre-deployment briefings and emergency communications for over 640 active duty military personnel and their families. Over 13,177 pints of life-saving blood were collected from the community last year. All of these services are made possible by over 320 dedicated local Red Cross volunteers as well as through generous gifts from the local community. To get more information please call (615) 893-4272 or log on to www.midtnredcross.org.