What’s With the White Truck at Kmart on West Brandon Boulevard?

What's with the big truck that sports the words "Teach Me Now" in view of motorists traveling in front of the Kmart-anchored shopping center on West Brandon Boulevard and South Lakewood Drive?

That would be a mobile classroom featuring CPR and basic first-aid training to health care professionals in need of recertification, as well as to everyday citizens recognizing the need for such training should an emergency arise.

"We offer CPR and first-aid training twice a month at this location for people in the healthcare profession or for people in the community who know how important it is to know CPR and first-aid training," said C.J. Signar, who manned the truck Jan. 9 and said she had 30 years experience in healthcare.

"It really can make a difference," she added. "Sometimes someone is destined not to live but there are extenuating circumstances where you can really make a huge difference in someone's life, just by knowing what to do and when to do it."

That would be the case, for example, when "time lost is brain lost" for the person who fails to get quick medical attention after the onset of a stroke or mini-stroke.

According to the TeachMeNow.biz Web site, the company was established in 2000, "owned and operated by a licensed healthcare professional with 23 years [of] experience in the healthcare industry, including 10 years [of] experience with infants and children."

The site notes also that instrutional materials developed by the American Heart Association for training purposes "does not represent course sponsorship by the American Heart Association and any fees charged for such a course do not represent income to the association."

Fees for the Teach Me Now courses are $50 for one class (CPR or basic first-aid) or $90 for both courses, Signar said.

The truck is at the Kmart-anchored shopping center the first and third Wednesday of every month, with walk-in traffic welcome 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Signar said. Pre-paid appointments are for 4 or 5 p.m. Typically, each course runs for two hours.

For information, visit TeachMeNow.biz. Call: 813-478-4585 in Hillsborough, and 863-581-4177, in Polk, for other times and locations throughout the Tampa Bay area.