Red Cross discovers fake CPR cards

The Pee Dee Chapter of the American Red Cross recently made the startling discovery of fake CPR certificates in some area day-care centers.

Linda Boone-Smith, executive director of the Pee Dee Chapter, said a client called with some questions about a CPR certificate.

“They questioned it because it had some courses on it the American Red Cross does not teach,” she said. “When we received it, we knew it was not an American Red Cross card.”

Boone-Smith said the chapter notified the state Department of Social Services, and the issue is being examined.

Laura Collins, health and safety director for the chapter, said her role is to make sure CPR instructors are following protocol.

“At the Red Cross, we have across the board training,” she said. “You can take a class here or in Germany and all the courses will be the same.”

Because of that, Collins said, she is very invested in finding all of the counterfeit cards before anyone is harmed by someone trying to practice tasks they don’t actually understand.

The fake cards have been found in Florence and Charleston counties.

Some of them have been notarized with no identifying information on the seal.

Boone-Smith said she suspects it could be a widespread problem in the Pee Dee and other parts of South Carolina, so the Red Cross is taking it seriously.

“The Office of General Counsel in Washington, D.C., has copies of the certifications and will be pursuing this matter,” she said. “We reacted fast. As soon as we knew (about) it, we were on the phone that same day.”

Some of the cards appear to have been issued without the cardholder ever attending a class.

But for people holding bogus cards, there is a chance to turn in the cards without penalty.

“The Pee Dee Chapter will be holding special classes at a discounted price to help (people) get proper training,” she said. “In order to obtain the discounted price, we ask that they call our local chapter and forfeit the illegal cards to the chapter.”

At least one person in every day-care center is required to hold a CPR card, Collins said.

“If they’re receiving invalid CPR cards, then they don’t know the skills,” Collins said. “If something happened at one of these daycares, God forbid, they wouldn’t know how to save that child’s life.”

American Red Cross CPR Certification Cards should be on white paper and have the following criteria:

• Location of classes and year taken on the front of the card
• The instructor’s name and signature, the chapter name and the signature of the American Red Cross chairman on the back of the card
• CPR certification is valid for one year; first aid certification is good for three years.

Source: Pee Dee Chapter of the American Red Cross