Together We Prepare CPR and disaster preparedness classes for El Roble eighth-graders have become a rite of passage for thousands of middle school students in Claremont’s public schools. Last week, the Rotary Club of Claremont completed its 47th year of teaching the program at the school.

The training includes two separate sessions covering CPR for adults and infants, as well as disaster preparedness. Since its inception, Rotarians have introduced this training to more than 22,000 students. This year alone, 35 Rotarians worked with more than 450 students to conduct the classes. Courier photos/Peter Weinberger

Hands-on instruction is a critical component of CPR training. More than 60 training mannequins, owned by the Rotary Club of Claremont, were used for the eighth-grade classes attending the sessions.

Infant chest compressions are performed using two fingers placed in the center of the chest, pressing quickly and firmly in repeated cycles.

Gerald Goldman was one of more than 35 Claremont Rotarians who volunteered their time for the Together We Prepare training.