Community Services Program

Red Cross training held by MassPIRG, Students from training may help Katrina relief effort

By Katie Bresnahan

Throughout the first semester, UMass Dartmouth has done many things to promote relief of Hurricane Katrina. The activity that stands out the most is the Red Cross training that the university’s MassPIRG chapter held. Four of these training sessions were held during the months of October and November.

Over the course of the training, approximately 57 students became Red Cross certified. The training was held with high hopes that a group of students would be able to go down to New Orleans during winter break.

According to Jennifer Marshall, the UMass Dartmouth MassPIRG campus organizer, the idea came about at “a Red Cross informational meeting that the community service department organized. A small group of us met with one of the volunteers, Winnie [Dimock], who did the trainings for Red Cross, and we were trying to get out some ideas on how to assist the Katrina victims.” After this, there was a second informational meeting held. At this meeting, the training was discussed. Around 100 students signed up at this meeting. At a third meeting, the training was the main focus. There were almost 50 students in attendance.

Marshall says that the training “culminated in them [the trainees] receiving three cards [for their certification]. Generally you have to get certified in CPR and another first aid. The federal government has waived those two requirements for the first six months after Hurricane Katrina. The students will have to follow up their training after the six months is up.”

Feedback from students who participated in this training varied. Some felt it was a very interesting.