Do you know that if a person stops breathing for ten minutes or more, it is almost certain that irreversible brain damage will occur if no one intervenes? Administering CPR during this critical time can make the difference between life or death – or the quality of life.

You might ask yourself, how does this guy know? Well, nearly 30 years ago, I was a volunteer fireman and was asked by the fire department to become a Red Cross Certified Instructor. This way, I could train the other firefighters in First Aid and CPR skills.

I quickly immersed myself in gaining knowledge about the Red Cross organization. The more I learned, the more impressed I became. My interest in the organization must have impressed someone because I was contacted by the Red Cross to be a consultant in the mid-1980’s, gathering equipment for health and safety classes, making sure all the equipment was ready, and being a Red Cross staff representative at the classes.

I eventually branched out to teaching in 1988 and was lucky enough to have Mike Martin, a fellow Red Cross health and safety instructor, join me six months later. He has been a joy to work with, and we have come to rely on one another throughout the years. Little did we know that 20 years later, we would celebrate our anniversary as part-time Red Cross health and safety instructors this past month.

We have seen the training methods and tools change over the years. When the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) first became public, we were tasked with teaching the Instructors and the community how to use the new lifesaving device. We have used everything from 16 millimeter film to VCR tapes, and now DVDs in our classes. It’s been amazing to see the technological developments over the past 20 years, and it is also a comfort to know that just as we want to train as many people as possible in First Aid/CPR/AED skills, others are developing new tools and technology to help save more lives.

I’ve been a firefighter for 31 years and a part-time Red Cross Instructor for 20, and I have enjoyed every minute of it. As a firefighter, I have seen my share of families and individuals affected by disasters. As a Red Cross Instructor, I am able to help people prepare for emergencies, and when you get down to it, that’s what it all about.