DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreen Co. this weekend plans to sponsor American Red Cross life-saving training events at over 100 drug stores nationwide.
To be held Saturday, March 19, the events are in honor of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and those involved in the shooting in Tucson, Ariz., Walgreens said. Six people were killed in the Jan. 8 shooting and about a dozen were wounded, with Giffords sustaining critical injuries.
The "Gabrielle Giffords Honorary Save-a-Life Saturday" event will offer free training, including instruction in hands-only CPR, controlling external bleeding, and recognizing and managing shock.
"We have a store in the plaza where the Tucson tragedy occurred, and some of our health care professionals saw firsthand that day the value of knowing CPR," Walgreens president and chief executive officer Greg Wasson said in a statement. "Our store employees were among the first to call 911 and provided first aid using supplies from our store. We were in a unique position to help at a critical time, and I’m proud of the way our employees responded."
Wasson added that the event "is a great way" for Walgreens to give back to the communities where it has stores. "Every person who is CPR-trained is a potential life-saver 365 days a year," he stated. "This is invaluable and important training that we’re proud to help provide in partnership with the American Red Cross and in honor of Rep. Giffords as she continues her recovery."
