Unions Are The Working People's Army

Now is the time for all families and union members to learn the best way to take care of each other in all events, such as fires, floods, earthquakes, traffic wrecks, shooting and just everyday incidents. All people with children should know basic first aid and CPR. As a first responder with a volunteer fire department, I once went on a medical call where an infant fell into a hot tub and lost his life because the six people at the scene did not know CPR. This should not have happened. We are our "brothers keeper", to use a biblical phrase, and we have a certain responsibility to our fellow workers and our country, we move away from "otherness," "us vs them," "hostility toward those who don't believe as you" and run toward seeing the good in others, showing compassion for others, being responsive toward others--it's imperative that we find a way. If these last six or seven years haven't taught us anything it is that we get ahead in life when we respect others as we do ourselves, or as we are supposed to. It's much easier living in a hospitable world than a hostile one. This country used to be a beacon to the world. Today, not so much. It's not too late, so let's bring back our beacon of light to the world. If all union members were trained in CPR and basic first aid, we would all be safer, and maybe even join a volunteer fire department where you would receive more training and the keys to the fire station and possibly at some time the keys to a fire company. You’ll receive turnouts (PPEs fire personal protection clothes), which most volunteers carry in their vehicles with a medical bag and fire extinguisher, and road flares. With these things you can begin to set up and do the initial work at a traffic wreck, providing awareness, safety and initial medical aid. This could make our country more safer, it has the potential of saving lives and it could get off to a good start by all our unions getting the members trained as first responders in medical and safety. Incidents happen all the time on jobs and imagine being able to help your union brother or sister until an ambulance arrived instead of standing around being frustrated by how long it’s taking for an ambulance to make its way through traffic. We all must start taking more responsibility for our safety and survival by getting the training and using some of our time volunteering at a volunteer fire station in your community and most training is free. If not free maybe the unions can proved the medical training. I guarantee you that you will learn more about yourself while learning about others and that our commonalities are greater than our differences. You'll also meet new friends This training makes jobs and the road safer by having more first responders and volunteer firefighters in your community, counties, smaller cities. I was not only a union sheet metal worker, but also a volunteer firefighter and first responder, emergency medical technician for forty-seven years. It was tough, it was hard, but it was rewarding, and definitely worth it. Start with your union—which is the working people’s Army.