FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Date: February 19, 2008

 Contact:   Anthony Stahl
                 Director HR/Marketing
                 Howard Memorial Hospital
                 707-456-3101

Willits - Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital continues to provide health education to community members and organizations. "You think of a hospital as a place where people go when they are sick," commented Rinda Simi, RN, manager of the education department. "However, the hospital is also actively training staff and the public in life saving skills such as first aid, CPR and disaster preparedness."

During the month of February, Howard Hospital partnered with Willits Youth Little League to provide first aid training and CPR to coaches, umpires, little league board members and individuals that staff the snack shack at games. "We want to help make our community safer," stated Kristy Hosford, EMT and CPR trainer. "By training Little League coaches, umpires and staff, we are making Little League safer and more family friendly. The statistics show that CPR saves lives."

"Not only do we give CPR training to Little League participants, but we also train volunteer firefighters, local ambulance crews, local clinic staff, Willits High School students and other interested individuals in the community. Our motto 'Neighbors Helping Neighbors' takes on new meaning when you think of the preventative training we give our community," commented Hosford.

CPR training can be a 3-7 hour course covering basic first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It includes some of the very best training technology available, such as the Life Support Skills Manikin recently donated by the hospital Auxiliary. "I want to once again thank the Auxiliary for this wonderful donation," said Hosford. "We are the only facility in the county with this type of training tool. Our health care professionals comment over and over again how useful it is to train with the manikin."

Not only does the hospital provide training in first aid and CPR, but the hospital sponsors disaster preparedness training to health care professionals in Mendocino County. "We are bringing in a renowned disaster preparedness trainer in May," stated Simi. "Larry Masterman will be training our doctors on the Israeli system of responding to trauma and disasters. He will also be holding several training sessions in basic disaster preparedness for other health care professionals in the area. He is an outstanding trainer. We are constantly preparing ourselves for disasters such as fires, floods and earthquakes," stated Simi.

"I want to thank our education team for their dedication and hard work," stated Kevin Erich, president and CEO. "They play an important role in our hospital, and in our community."

Photo - CPR Class Attendees