Safety first

Today I got to cross something off my "prepare for peak oil" list. Among other things, I would like to learn skills that might be helpful when times get tough. One category is health care, specifically, things that a lay person can do. Ultimately I'd like to learn about herbal remedies, especially from local plants. But I decided to start at the beginning with a basic first aid course.

The Red Cross has a whole website devoted to the classes they teach. Their categories include:

• disaster response training
• first aid and CPR
• HIV/AIDS education
• safety training for kids (babysitter's class)

The class I took taught me "first aid skills to care for adults who are victims of accidental injuries or sudden illness." It covered a lot of material. The training techniques included mini lectures, videos that demonstrated technique, hands-on practice, a workbook, and a test at the end that we had to pass to get our certificates.

I had some idea of the basics already but this clarified things and gave me a step-by-step plan to follow in a crisis. I feel a lot more confident and it feels really good to know that I could help.

Next month's agenda includes a plant ID course and CPR. I'm happy to be taking action towards becoming more self-reliant!