The South Bay Overseas Chinese Education Center held an emergency rescue training workshop on February 28th (last Saturday), with 24 members of the overseas Chinese community enthusiastically participating. The aim was to enhance the community’s self-rescue and mutual aid capabilities through professional emergency training.
The event was organized by the “Northern California Taiwanese American Community Emergency Assistance and Support Team” and co-sponsored by the “Northern California Taiwanese School Association.” It was the first time that two qualified instructors from the American Red Cross were invited to conduct a 3.5-hour professional training session, with official certificates issued upon completion.
Due to the hands-on teaching approach, the workshop was limited to 24 participants, targeting Taiwanese adult residents and second-generation youth in the local community (including high school juniors and seniors). Chinese interpretation was provided on-site to assist with learning.
The curriculum for the day covered a range of topics including First Aid, CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation), AED (Automated External Defibrillator) operation, choking first aid treatment, handling sudden strokes and heart attacks, managing Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy seizures, responding to food poisoning and reporting, as well as self-rescue methods for personal emergencies.
The Red Cross adopted a curriculum structure of “Basic Standard Training” and “Non-Standard Training,” emphasizing emergency medical response and practical operations. With 24 human body models and 24 AED devices on-site, each participant was ensured hands-on practice.
Community Affairs Advisory Commissioner Li Hanwen stated that due to the hands-on nature of the course, the Red Cross strictly controlled the number of participants, with instructors closely inspecting each student’s actions to ensure learning quality.
The course ran from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with only a brief 15-minute break. The Red Cross stipulated that students must fully participate in the 3.5-hour core course (including video tutorials, explanations, and practical sessions) to earn their certificates. These certificates are valid for two years and must be renewed thereafter.
Li Hanwen introduced the Red Cross as an international nonprofit organization originating from Europe and now present worldwide, actively engaged in disaster relief, assisting vulnerable groups, and emergency medical operations. She emphasized the importance of the Taiwanese American community stepping out of its comfort zone and establishing closer ties with the mainstream charitable systems in the United States.
The original tuition fee for the training was $120 per person. To encourage the popularization of first aid education in the community and to deepen cooperation with the Red Cross, Li Hanwen personally donated $60 per person, reducing the actual cost for each student to $60.
Following the conclusion of the event, participants generally expressed a rich learning experience. Through video tutorials and hands-on exercises, they gained a clearer understanding of how to respond to various emergency situations. Equipped with these skills, they feel more confident in handling unexpected circumstances in the future.