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Va. teens train for disaster preparation, rescue

By Cindy L. Smith
The Virginian-Pilot
Copyright 2008 Landmark Communications, Inc.

NORFOLK Va. — Ask a teenage boy how he likes to spend Saturday mornings and “sitting in a classroom” probably won’t be among his answers.

But on one recent Saturday in Norfolk, that’s exactly how 10 youngsters chose to spend their time . The boys were taking part in the First Responder Service Program, sponsored by the Iota Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.

“I want to learn to take responsibility in different situations,” said 14-year-old Brandon Everett. “I want to learn to how to be a man.”

Brandon, who lives in the Broad Creek area, said he also wants to be a role model for his sister, Bryonna Everett, 13, and brother Mark Hill, 6.

By taking part in First Responder , Brandon will learn to prepare for disasters, train for rescues and gain other related skills. On May 17 , he and the other teens earned their CPR certification at the Norfolk Fire-Rescue Training Center at Granby and Thole streets.

The International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters, or IABFF, provided the training .

“Anything we can do to get information to people that could save a life is good as far as I’m concerned,” said Robert Sayles, an assistant chief in Norfolk’s Norfolk Fire-Rescue Department and a past president of IABFF’s Norfolk chapter. The teens quickly learned that CPR can be hard work as they performed compressions on CPR dummies for one full minute.

“It’s harder than it looks, isn’t it?” said Vada Gray, a 12-year fire department veteran who had volunteered to teach the class. “Keep going. It hasn’t been a minute yet.”

The youngsters pressed on until Gray told them to stop.

Audrey Mills of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority said the program amounts to more than training teens how to respond in emergencies. She said it is a way to teach young men about community responsibility as part of a sorority initiative on the economic growth of black families.

“We want to help these young men develop an attitude of service,” said Mills, who graduated as Booker T. Washington High School’s salutatorian in 1950 and went on to a 40-year career as an educator with Norfolk Public Schools. “In an emergency, every child should branch out and try to help.”

Brandon can vouch for that. He said the training is so important that all young people should take similar lessons.

“This is something that could benefit me in the future,” said Brandon, a Booker T. Washington student. “Who knows when a fire could break out or another disaster could happen? I would know what to do to take care of my family.”

Malachi Brown, 10, was younger than most participants , but he took the training very seriously. He said that he was once saved by someone who knew basic first aid.

“I was choking and I couldn’t breathe, but someone knew what to do,” said Malachi, who lives in Bayview and attends Mary Calcott Elementary School.

While the fifth grader said he hopes he never has to use his CPR skills , he wants to be ready, just in case.

“I want to learn about saving people,” he said. “It’s just about saving lives.”

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