Fitness Tip Thursday-since I missed Tuesday

    This week, for some reason, has gone by crazy fast! I kind of lost track of the days of the week, missing out on my Fitness Tip Tuesday post! Oops!

    My advice for this week definitely applies to fitness, but is not necessarily just about fitness.

    A tragic event happened at Ohio University Tuesday night in The Ping Recreation Center. A student collapsed while playing basketball and later passed away. But with more efficient action from bystanders (from everything I've heard), there's a chance he could have survived.

   This may seem like common sense, but as soon as you see a potential emergency it is imperative to take action. It doesn't matter if "someone else probably did". It doesn't matter if you aren't sure what's wrong. And it doesn't matter if you are trained personnel: anyone is fully capable of getting someone who is and calling 9-1-1 immediately. Tuesday night, when the student collapsed, bystanders just watched for awhile (supposedly for about 15 minutes), unsure of what to do. Via social media, I saw someone comment that he was there. His words: "I thought one of the other people around went and got someone to help". This is called the bystander effect: when there is a group of people witnessing an emergency situation, either no one takes action at all or someone takes action eventually, but not soon enough. In emergency situations, it is crucial for someone to act right away. Every minute counts. If everyone just assumes that someone else has or will do something to help, nothing will get done.

    Also, whether or not it is required by your workplace, I highly recommend becoming certified in First Aid and CPR. You never know when you may be needed to help save a life. The American Red Cross and The American Heart Association both offer the training to become certified. Go to one of their websites (or both to compare) and check it out! I am a certified instructor through the American Red Cross, so don't hesitate to ask me if you have any questions. Learn how you can save a life! Nothing compares to having that knowledge and being able to act on it.

http://www.redcross.org/take-a-class

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/CPRAndECC/FindaCourse/Find-a-Course_UCM_303220_SubHomePage.jsp?gclid=CI-qufuuuLwCFaZAMgodhX8AFg

    Sorry if this has come across as preachy: I just want to let you all know how important it is to act immediately if an emergency situation arises. Someone's life very well might depend on it.