February is American Heart Month, and the City of Knoxville is offering free opportunities for residents to be prepared for emergencies and support community safety efforts.

Hands-Only CPR and Stop the Bleed workshops will be held at Larry Cox Senior Center, 3109 Ocoee Trail, on: 

• Monday, Feb. 20, 6-8 p.m.
• Saturday, Feb. 25, 9-11 a.m.

Workshops are free to Knoxville residents and will be led by certified trainers from the Knoxville Fire Department. The first hour of each session will be Hands-Only CPR, followed by the Stop the Bleed training. 

These first aid workshops are a collaboration between the City’s Office of Community Safety, Knoxville Fire Department, and the Office of Neighborhood Empowerment. 

“We can all play a part in responding to emergencies and making our community a safer place,” says Community Safety Director LaKenya Middlebrook. “Especially during Heart Month, we want to empower residents to be prepared. This training can help save lives.” 

“Because most cardiac arrests occur in the home, having someone nearby to do CPR can make a big difference before first responders arrive on the scene,” says Deputy Chief Gary Compton. 

These workshops are not certification classes. Residents who need certification for a job should reach out to other groups, like the American Heart Association, to receive CPR certification and other first aid training. 

Space is limited at each workshop. Participants need to register in advance by contacting Neighborhood Coordinator Debbie Sharp at [email protected] or 865-215-4382. Group trainings for neighborhood or church groups or other organizations are available by request.