By Francisca Ortega
Pearland Emergency Medical Services is offering a couple of classes for those interested in becoming caregivers.

One class, called BLAST! or Babysitter Lessons and Safety Training, is designed for children ages 11-14 and gives kids the skills they need to care for babies and young children. Raquel Garza, an emergency medical technician with Pearland EMS, teaches the class and said it covers everything from diaper changing to crying, discipline, keeping a child occupied, what to do if a stranger calls and first aid in an emergency.

As the mother of an 11-year-old myself, I had to ask how young is too young to be babysitting. Garza said that it should be determined by the particular child’s maturity. Some qualities to look for in a mature babysitter are responsibility, safety consciousness, patience and punctuality, she said.

Personally, I don’t feel my child’s ready to be in charge of another human’s safety, but I say that knowing that in an emergency she would have no idea what to do. This class addresses that issue by covering most emergency situations, including when to call 911 and how to apply cardiovascular resuscitation to children ages 1-8. It also covers choking; bleeding and shock; bone, joint and muscle injuries; dog bites; eye injuries; vomiting and more. At the end of the class, participants will take a skills test and receive a certificate of completion.

Garza however agreed with me that not all kids at that age are ready to baby-sit. Her own daughter is 12, has taken the class and will not be baby-sitting just yet. Parents have to make the decision on whether their child is ready for this responsibility on a case-by-case basis, she said.

Pearland EMS is offering six sessions of BLAST! It is an 8-hour course and the cost is $25.
Class dates/times/locations are:
Session 1 - Saturday Feb. 13 and 27
Session 2 - Sunday April 24
Session 3 - Saturday June 19 and 26
Session 4 - Saturday Aug. 14 and 21
Session 5 - Saturday Oct. 9 and 16
Session 6 - Saturday Dec. 4 and 11

All classes will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Pearland Public Library, 3522 Liberty Drive in Pearland. Participants are required to sign up and pay before the first day of their desired session date, to ensure a spot.

The second class called PedFACTS!, or pediatric first aid for caregivers and teachers, is for adults working in daycares or caring for children in their home. It covers everything the BLAST! class does, but more in-depth. At the end of the course, participants will be CPR-certified. In addition to emergency first-aid the class covers issues such as when a child would be contagious to others and when he or she should return to a daycare setting after an illness, Garza said.

Pearland EMS is offering six sessions of PedFACT's! It is a 6-hour class and the cost is $35.
Dates/times/locations are:
Session 1 - Saturday March 27
Session 2 - Sunday May 8
Session 3 - Saturday July 17
Session 4 - Saturday Sept. 18
Session 5 - Saturday Nov. 13

All classes will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Library. Participants are required to sign up and pay before the first day of their class to ensure a spot.

To sign up or for either class or for questions, call Garza at 281-652-1956 or e-mail her at rgarza@ci.pearland.tx.us.