Learning the techniques to save lives

Baseball fans and people looking to bone up on their first-aid skills came out in the hundreds to the Glendale-Crescenta Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross for Super First Aid Saturday and a baseball-themed blood drive.

The chapter on Brand Boulevard holds a competition-based, open blood drive aimed at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Los Angeles Dodgers fans in conjunction with the two team's Freeway Series of games against each other every year.

"It's a rivalry to get people to donate blood," said Jody Kemp, Angels Booster Club member and blood donor.

Each person who donated blood on Saturday could make the donation in the name of the team of their choice.

Glendale resident Marko Swan put his pint in for the Dodgers but said it was just a fortunate coincidence that he happened to come in to give blood on the same day as the competition.

"I'm a regular," Swan said. "I'm O-negative."

Because he has the most versatile blood type, Swan gives blood about once every other month and whenever he is called by hospitals or blood banks in times of need.

At the end of the blood donations, the usual small snacks, juices and waters were handed out along with Red Cross T-shirts.

People partaking in the Super First Aid Saturday, a promotion offering discounted first-aid certification classes, also received a T-shirt along with their certification cards.

Brittany and Bailey Bagheri, 16-year-old twins from Tujunga, also walked away from the four-hour first-aid class with a little more peace of mind.

There were about 40 people in the room with the girls as they went over common first-aid dilemmas from heat stroke to caring for cuts, bruises and bumps.

"We made splints and slings on each other," Bailey said.

"It's good to know how to do those things," Brittany said, finishing Bailey's sentence. "It's good to have it."

The girls were applying to be summer day camp counselors at their local YMCA so they came to get first-aid and CPR certification for the jobs.

As they showed off their newly printed certification cards, they both said they were surprised at how fun the class was and that the time whizzed by.

For more information on giving blood or taking first-aid and CPR classes, visit the Glendale Valley Chapter headquarters at 1501 S. Brand Blvd., Glendale or call (818) 243-3121 or visit www.arcglendale.org.