Tom Ferguson, a nationally known expert on smoking cessation, will give two free seminars Wednesday in City Hall.

The seminars are sponsored by Mary Greeley Medical Center, McFarland Clinic and the city of Ames Wellness Program. They are part of an effort to help city personnel make the transition to smoke-free city buildings, vehicles and facilities, said Kathy Keller, employee wellness supervisor for the city.

Seminars will be offered from 4 to 5 p.m. in the City Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall and from 7 to 8 p.m. in City Auditorium, also located in City Hall.

The first seminar, “Helping Smokers Get Ready to Quit” is for school personnel, wellness professionals, employers and other people who work with smokers and provide information to smokers.

The idea behind this seminar is to help people who work with smokers to understand and help people with the addiction, Keller said.

The second seminar, “The No-Nag Approach to Smoking Cessation,” is for people who do smoke, so they may better understand their own addiction and move toward quitting, Keller said.

“Ferguson does programs all over the country … and he is a very upbeat and positive speaker who can provide people with hope,” Keller said.

Respiratory screenings, or a pulmonary-function testing, will be offered from 6 to 7 p.m. and 8 to 9 p.m.

“This is a short test which only takes a couple of minutes and is a brief evaluation of the function of the lungs and any carbon monoxide damage [that] might show up,” said Sue Ellen Wilcox, director of public and community relations for Mary Greeley Medical Center.

Wilcox said she encourages members of the public and Iowa State students to participate.

Doreen Chamberlin, special programs coordinator for McFarland Clinic, said the seminars are good opportunities for smokers to approach quitting.

“The seminars help everyone to develop the best way for them [to quit smoking],” Chamberlin said.