Photos: Locals Get Ready to Save Lives

Nearly 100 people are better prepared to step in during health emergencies after a free CPR/AED training session in Rancho Bernardo over the weekend.

The event was co-sponsored by The Rancho Bernardo Community Council, with the help of San Diego Rural/Metro Ambulance, San Diego Fire-Rescue Station No. 33 and San Diego City Councilwoman Marti Emerald.

This is the third free training session, which provides 30 minutes of instruction (not certification) in CPR and using automated external defibrillators (AEDs), to people around San Diego. Emerald said officials have identified certain areas of the city where more training is needed and RB, with its high number of medical service calls and large senior population, was one of them.

Jerry Sack, who is on the Community Council's Public Safety Committee, helped bring the free session to RB. A former fire chief, Sack is used to helping out during emergencies but said it had been a while since he'd had to do compressions.

"I'm ready to save lives," Sack said after participating in Saturday's training. Community Council President Robin Kaufman said 92 people, from age 4 to 88, were trained.

EMTs from San Diego Rural/Metro Ambulance volunteered on Saturday to help with the training, which was led by Maureen O'Connor, a program manager with San Diego Project Heart Beat.

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