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Leander Fire urges citizens to get basic medical training

Leander Fire's CERT basic training program teaches civilians how to respond in an emergency situation.

AUSTIN, Texas — The folks with the Leander Fire Department encourage anyone over the age of 18 to go to their CERT basic training program to learn life-saving techniques.

"It's a really good opportunity to bring people ahead of time and give them training and vet them so that when we have the response need." said Ashley Morris, Leander Fire Emergency Planner. "We know our community. We know our residents and the training background they have." 

Just last week, Leander City Council recognized several individuals who helped save the life of a young woman at a Leander Little League baseball game at Benbrook Ranch Park on Friday evening, June 14. 

On their Facebook, they said a mom went into cardiac arrest and feel from the bleachers. The City of Austin firefighter Amanda Reyes was watching her son play and saw what happened. 

The City of Leander said Reyes immediately started performing CPR on the woman while others called for help. Umpires ended the game and other people helped clear the area. 

They said the mom is doing well now, thanks to the heroic acts of Reyes and several other people. 

You can find the full story here

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Morris said learning basic medical techniques, like CPR, and certain steps to take that could benefit people in a lot of ways. 

"One, you're going to call 911 and get support for the injured person," she said. "Two is going to be to check them for bleeding. Make sure they're not bleeding and to stop bleeding by applying pressure to them. Three is going to be to open up any airways and making sure that they can breathe properly. And then four is going to provide comfort. We have injuries and small accidents every day and you never really know when you need to use those skills."

If there is one thing Morris suggests to have, it's a first aid kit. 

"That has some basic medical supplies in it, gauze, triangle bandages, things like that, and then gloves. Gloves are really important for your personal safety," said Morris. 

Dr. Christopher Ziebell with Dell Seton Medical Center said he agrees everyone should learn those things. They have their own classes at Dell Seton too. 

"Some of those things that are just really basic things to us who do this all the time, but maybe new information for people who don't interact with bleeding people a lot," said Dr. Ziebell. 

If you're interested in the CERT basic training, email cert@leandertx.gov. They will send the interest list the new class as soon as they schedule it. 

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