More hospitality workers are ready to save a life when seconds matter most!
The Summer Safe Pensacola Series, a collaboration between Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola and Visit Pensacola was designed to equip local hospitality staff with practical emergency response techniques, enabling them to take swift, decisive action before professional help is able to arrive.
The first-of-its-kind initiative in Northwest Florida provided free training in:
- Hands-Only CPR: Empowering bystanders to deliver immediate CPR can triple survival odds for individuals experiencing cardiac arrest in public settings.
- Stop the Bleed: Participants practiced essential techniques to control severe hemorrhage, the primary cause of preventable death following traumatic injury.
- Water Safety Skills: Instruction emphasized drowning prevention strategies including techniques tailored for children and individuals with special needs or autism.
Launched June 16 on Pensacola Beach, with a follow-up session on Aug. 9, both at the Holiday Inn Resort, the series concluded by expanding to the Perdido Key Visitors Center on September 16th.
Across the three events, the Summer Safe Pensacola Series trained approximately 75 people, drawing participation from across the region's tourism and service sectors. Attendees have included hotel and restaurant staff, attraction operators, and frontline recreation personnel, such as surfing and tennis instructors.
Local business leaders and participants highlighted the tangible value of practicing these skills under expert supervision.
“In our location we see a lot of people coming off the beach with injuries. So, this is a class I'm very thankful for,” said Brody Wilson, General Manager of the Flora-Bama Oyster Bar. “That felt really good to practice in a safe environment where somebody could tell me too much, too little, faster or slower. So, that was very valuable to me. I'll have all of my staff come back and do the next one. I think everyone who's there needs to know how to do it.”
“It’s so important to get your frontline people trained—bartenders, maintenance staff, housekeepers, anyone. You never know who might be walking by and see something,” added Brandi Crowley, Director of Sales for Residence Inn Pensacola-Airport.
Participants received hands-on instruction from medical, trauma, and emergency-response experts from Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola, Studer Family Children’s Hospital, Escambia County Emergency Services, Lifeguard AirCare 3, and Escambia County Public Safety.
The idea stemmed from shared values and the mutual desire of Ascension Sacred Heart and Visit Pensacola to make our community safer,
“We are thrilled to partner with Visit Pensacola to offer this free training event and equip hospitality workers with lifesaving skills to respond when seconds count,” said Will Condon, CEO of Ascension Sacred Heart Health System. “Using the expertise of the region’s only Level I Trauma Center to help keep residents and visitors safe aligns perfectly with our mission.”
“With more than 2.5 million visitors traveling to the Pensacola Bay Area each summer, expanding access to emergency response training helps create a safer environment for residents and visitors alike,” said Nicole Stacey, Vice President of Destination Development for Visit Pensacola. “This collaboration with Ascension Sacred Heart strengthens our community’s commitment to safety while enhancing the visitor experience and reinforcing Pensacola’s reputation as a premier destination.”
The Summer Safe Pensacola Series was supported by key community partners, including the American Heart Association and the Escambia County School District.
Plans are in place to maintain the series as an annual event in the Pensacola region. Hospitality workers and tourism professionals interested in future training opportunities can learn more and stay updated through the Visit Pensacola website.
