'Grand Island Cares' brings lifesaving training to community

Inaugural event provides free CPR, airway rescue & ‘Stop the Bleed’ training to Grand Island residents

Submitted

Community members gathered at Grand Island High School on Saturday for the first-ever “Grand Island Cares” event, a community initiative offering free CPR, airway rescue, and “Stop the Bleed” training to help residents prepare for medical emergencies and better protect their neighbors.

The event brought together healthcare professionals, medical students, emergency medical services, and local organizations – all united by a shared commitment to improving the health and safety of the Grand Island community.

For Stacey Watt, M.D., M.B.A., M.H.P.E., F.A.S.A., a lifelong Grand Island resident and anesthesiologist, the event was especially meaningful.

“As a lifelong Grand Islander, I could not be more proud of our community,” Watt said. “There is something incredibly special about seeing people come together to learn new skills, volunteer their time, and look out for the health and safety of their neighbors. Today was about much more than training. It was about neighbors caring for neighbors.”

Participants received hands-on instruction in CPR, airway rescue, and techniques to control life-threatening bleeding. The event emphasized the importance of recognizing emergencies and having the knowledge and confidence to take action while professional help is on the way.

Grand Island High School provided the venue, helping make the training accessible to community members. UBMD Orthopedics and its CPR training team helped lead CPR instruction, with students from the Jacobs School of Medicine contributing their time, enthusiasm and expertise.

“Stop the Bleed” training was provided with the participation of Dr. Iris Danziger, the Medical Society of the County of Erie (MSCE), and the Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY). The training focused on equipping participants with practical skills to respond to serious bleeding emergencies.

The New York State Society of Anesthesiologists (NYSSA) and the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) supported the airway rescue training, highlighting the important role anesthesiologists play in emergency airway management and in caring for patients and families throughout the community.

Twin City Ambulance also participated, giving residents an opportunity to learn more about the services and resources the organization provides to help keep the community safe. Catholic Health and Dr. Gregory Clabeaux were also recognized for their important contributions to the Grand Island healthcare community.

One of the day's most meaningful accomplishments was that everyone who attended was able to receive training.

For Watt, that achievement reflected the spirit behind the event: Bringing people and organizations together to make a tangible difference in the community.

“Today was about being prepared to help someone in the moments when it matters most,” Watt said. “I am incredibly proud of the people and organizations who came together to make this happen. Grand Island truly cares, and today our community showed it.”

The inaugural “Grand Island Cares” event demonstrated how collaboration among healthcare professionals, educational institutions, emergency responders and community partners can help build a safer, more prepared community.

For Grand Island residents, the message was simple: Learning how to respond in an emergency is one way we can all care for our neighbors.

Together, Grand Island is a little safer.