Being Prepared Groundhogs

Today is Groundhog's Day which means that some folks in Pennsylvania check on Punxsutawney Phil to determine whether we will have 6 more weeks of winter or not.  The verdict seems to be in and it appears that 2010 will see 6 more weeks of winter.  Now, if the next 6 weeks model the past 6 weeks, we will see some pretty mild temperatures around here in the Pacific Northwest.

So, rather than encourage everyone to dress warmly and be ready for our next huge snow storm, today we'd like to make reference to the movie "Groundhog Day" which starred Bill Murray in 1993.  If you have seen this movie, you know that Bill Murray lives and relives the same day over and over again in hilarious fashion. 

Hopefully, in the world of preparedness, there are a few things that you do over and over again to be ready to assist others during an emergency response.  Beyond annually changing the batteries in your smoke alarms and restocking your 72-hour kit with fresh supplies, it is recommend that everyone take First Aid & CPR classes.   

First Aid & CPR courses prepare you to help others on what may be one of the worst days of their lives.  Now, here in SW Washington, you have a new way to take these courses online.  The SW Washington Chapter of the American Red Cross offers online First Aid & CPR courses.  These courses allow you to take the book-learning part of the courses on your own time and then illustrate the skills at our local Red Cross office.   

Surely, if we can check for the shadow of a groundhog every year, we should be able to take a few minutes and refresh our ability to help the ones we love in our local communities.