Free CPR training offered

By Laura Ingram Staff Writer
 
SUWANEE — Buford resident Suzanne Kinnick Lord turned her life around by age 30 so she wouldn’t be stuck at a desk job.
The Sept. 11 tragedy helped her realize that she wanted to do something other than mechanical engineering. American Red Cross’ CPR Saturday this week will help her reach those goals.
“You heard the stories about firefighters and the Red Cross actually giving people hope,” Lord recalled during the aftermath of the terrorist attack.
Lord wants to join Red Cross’ disaster volunteers and fight some despair during tragedies herself.
To start on the track, she started volunteering at the Gwinnett chapter office on Hi-Hope Road and took a first-aid class last month. She’ll take free lessons in CPR this Saturday at Collins Hill High School at 50 Taylor Road in Suwanee.
“I’d actually like to use it as a stepping stone to the Red Cross Disaster Action Team,” said Lord, who is also studying for a masters in public administration.
Lord also sees the CPR training as arming herself with information to save lives at restaurants or anywhere else people need emergency help to restart their breathing and their hearts beating.
Free CPR classes also will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday at Hopewell Baptist Church at 182 Hunter St. in Norcross and Cannon United Methodist Church at 2424 Webb Gin House Road in Snellville. New classes will start every half hour until the last class begins at 2 p.m. The training takes about four hours.
Early registration is encouraged. For details and to register, call the Gwinnett Red Cross Service Center at 770-963-9208. Registration can also be done online at www.redcrossatlanta.org.
General information is available by calling 1-800-Red Cross (733-2767).