More than 6,400

people were trained last year, 1,200 of them at three south metro sites.

Red Cross organizers are hoping to again train more than 6,000. CPR Saturday

is always held in March to help commemorate Red Cross Month.

Ruben Brown,

the director of the South Metro Red Cross Service Center, said CPR Saturday

is one of the organization's biggest events of the year and serves to

say thanks to the community for their year-round support.

"Hundreds

of Red Cross volunteers are needed to make this work, and the planning

began several months ago," he said. "The bottom line is this

event makes our community a safer place to work and play."

Kaiser Permanente

will again serve as the event's primary sponsor. "Our mission is

to improve the health of the communities we serve. What better way to

do that than by teaching people how to save lives," said Dr. Bruce

Perry, M.D., medical director of the Southeast Permanente Medical Group/Kaiser

Permanente. "CPR Saturday is a valuable community service that everyone

should take advantage of."

Support for

the event is also coming from AT&T Wireless, Boise Cascade Office

Products, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Coffee Time/Atlanta Vending, Federal

Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, Mellow Mushroom, Publix and WSB-TV/Channel

2.

"Without

the loyal support of Kaiser Permanente and our other wonderful sponsors,

we could not offer this training for free," said Brown.

Aside from

learning lifesaving CPR skills, participants will also learn rescue breathing

techniques, the abdominal thrust procedure for choking victims and how

to lead a healthier lifestyle.

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