US SAILING Implements Red Cross Online Training

by Marlieke de Lange Eaton on 1 May 2008 To make it easier for prospective US SAILING-certified instructors to fulfill course requirements for CPR and First Aid certification, US SAILING has teamed up with the American Red Cross to provide an online training program. All of US SAILING instructor training programs - including all Small Boat Levels, Windsurfing, Powerboat, and Keelboat programs - require current CPR and First Aid certification. The online training program offered through the Red Cross provides convenient, effective, and affordable training for instructors at all levels. According to the Red Cross, more than half of all sports-related injuries are preventable. With proper training, millions of athletes would be injury-free each year.

'The safety of all sailing instructors and students is our highest priority, which is why US SAILING has required CPR and First Aid certification as part of its training programs for over 25 years,' said US SAILING's Training Director Janine Ahmed Connelly. 'We want to make it easy for instructors, coaches, and parents to learn how to prevent, prepare for and respond to sports-related emergencies. By providing them with an easy way to get the CPR and First Aid certification, we make it even easier for sailors to enjoy the sport safely.'

Connelly continued, 'To help promote safety and offer an effective way for instructors to meet that fundamental responsibility, we have partnered with the American Red Cross to provide First Aid for Coaches, a component of Sport Safety Training online.'

After taking the online course, participants will still have to do a practical skill check before obtaining the Red Cross certification. A skill check can be easily scheduled at a local facility through the online course.

In addition to the American Red Cross CPR and First Aid certification, US SAILING also accepts similar certification from numerous other U.S. Coast Guard-approved local and national organizations, most of which do not offer online courses.

First Aid for Coaches, a component of Sport Safety Training was developed jointly by the American Red Cross of Central Indiana and the United States Olympic Committee. The course was designed to help coaches, athletic trainers and other participants identify and eliminate potentially hazardous conditions in various sports environments, as well as recognize emergencies and make appropriate decisions for first-aid care. First Aid for Coaches meets first-aid requirements mandated for coaches and athletic trainers.

Why Online Training?
Online training allows individuals to learn on their own time and at their own pace. Because the courses are online, they can be accessed any time of day from a computer with an Internet connection. That is essential for instructors, coaches, parents and others who need this training, but don't have flexible schedules to allow for a traditional course.

Each online course teaches American Red Cross skills using a combination of written material, photos, illustrations and videos. Courses were built with accessibility requirements in mind and can be used with screen readers or other tools. And, all user support staff members are Red Cross certified instructors who can help clarify course information and answer technology questions.

How Can Students Sign Up?
Participants can sign up by visiting www.ussailing.org/training and clicking on the Red Cross Online Training button (towards the bottom of the page). From there, participants can select, register for and begin First Aid for Coaches in less than five minutes. Consumers will also be able to choose from a large menu of online Red Cross courses, including CPR and AED.

About US SAILING
The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING) is the national governing body for sailing. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the organization provides leadership for the sport of sailing in the U.S. US SAILING offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Teams. For more information,
please visit www.ussailing.org.