Boynton Beach Teens: Become Lifesavers and Earn Service Hours Through Fire Rescue Partnership at the Library

Boynton Beach teens can learn vital lifesaving skills and earn community service hours through a partnership between the Palm Beach County Library System and Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. This initiative offers hands-on emergency preparedness training led by local firefighters, empowering young people to act effectively in emergencies.

The program provides specialized training in four key areas: Babysitting 101, Hands-Only CPR/AED, Stop the Bleed, and Fire Extinguisher Safety Training. Each course equips participants with practical skills, from recognizing sudden cardiac arrest and performing CPR to safely using fire extinguishers and managing severe bleeding with tourniquets and wound packing.

Library Director Doug Crane emphasized the library's role in community skill development. Crane stated, “Libraries are more than places to access information; they are places where our community learns skills to make a difference. Through our partnership with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, we’re providing teens the opportunity to gain practical, potentially lifesaving skills while earning community service hours. These programs empower young people to be prepared to help others in times of need.”

Upon completing the training, teens receive a certificate from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. These programs not only build critical skills but also offer young people the chance to fulfill community service requirements. Fire Rescue also plans activities for younger children, including fire truck tours, to introduce them to firefighters.

Several upcoming opportunities for teens are scheduled for October. The Main Library will host Babysitting 101 on Tuesday, October 3, and Stop the Bleed on Tuesday, October 6. The Okeechobee Boulevard Branch will offer a Babysitting Workshop for Teens on Saturday, October 10, and a Hands Only CPR Workshop for Teens on Tuesday, October 20. An event called 'Fire Ex' is also listed at the Main Library.