ProSafe is composed of many people from a great variety of backgrounds and experiences. From management to staff to instructors, we all have gifts and talents that can be used to make a lasting impact on others.
In this new company release, we will celebrate the success of individuals whether in their role at ProSafe, or in other areas of their life. Through these articles, we hope to gain a better understanding and appreciation for the people who make up the ProSafe Team, and bring us all a little closer together.
Today we meet one of our newer Red Cross First Aid instructors – Kiersten Sawchuk. And not only do we learn more about Kiersten, we share an amazing success story from a recent class she taught.
Kiersten was a student athlete up until 2019 when she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with a specialization in Art and Design, and a Minor in French. During that time she played soccer competitively, but also ended up suffering two major knee injuries that resulted in surgery. As a result, she had multiple experiences with injury and recovery, and she was able to help her teammates who also suffered from injury.
In addition to starting own bath&body, skincare, and cosmetic business in 2021, Kiersten was encouraged by her partner to take first aid training. Enjoying what she learned at the basic levels and wanting to know more, Kiersten continued her studies and is now a licensed Emergency Medical Responder. When an opportunity to take an instructor training course presented itself, Kiersten decided to explore that avenue as well and now teaches Red Cross core first aid programs. She enjoys the concept of helping people learn new skills, being very reminiscent of her soccer days and when she helped her teammates with injury recovery and prevention.
Kiersten has done some work as a contracted First Aid attendant (Flip City Gymnastics, Blue Jays, etc) and continues to grow and expand her own business (XVIII Cosmetics).
Building Confidence – An example of Passion and Purpose
When asked about teaching, Kiersten said “I enjoy teaching because it allows me a chance to learn experience and knowledge from each of my students, and in turn share my passion, training, and personal experiences with them. I think First Aid skills are incredible tools to take with you out into the world! Being able to respond quickly and properly in an emergency not only builds confidence in yourself, it can make a huge difference in someone else’s life.”
And making a huge difference in someone else’s life is an understatement.
Kiersten recently taught a first aid course for a private group. The very next morning, one of her students was working out in the gym with a co-worker who suddenly collapsed. Kiersten’s student (full of confidence from the training) immediately jumped into action assessing the patient, calling for help, and starting CPR. By the time the patient left in the ambulance, the patient was breathing and had a pulse.
So if we ever think we are just going through the paces when teaching a first aid course and students are just there to get a certificate, remember this example and consider – might we make a huge difference in someone’s life too?
Welcome to ProSafe Training School Kiersten – we are glad to have you on our team and we look forward to watching you grow in your teaching role. And congratulations on an amazing success story – something you will remember for a very long time.