First Aid/CPR/AED Training - I just got recertified.

Check whether your employer will offer or consider taking it on your own

After reading about several accounts of lives being saved at sporting events, games, meets (or just about anywhere these days) using CPR and/or with an AED device, I realized that the last CPR class I took was well over ten years ago.

I asked my work whether they would offer this training, and they did. Paying on your own will run around $40 for the online training, and $60 for an in-person class.

I completed the online and in-person “Adult, Child and Baby First Aid/CPR/AED Training” provided by the American Red Cross this past week. In doing so, I am recertified for two more years.

I found the online class excellent and was a good review of handling emergency situations that could involve a heart attack, shock, choking, stroke, heat stroke, life-threatening bleeding, burns, an anaphylactic reaction, head injury, or seizure. Learning the best way to work with others on the scene, obtaining consent, and when to call 9-1-1 also useful skills to review.

For those that are new to this type of training, you may need to allocate a good chunk of time to complete the online training, perhaps over multiple days. They try to intermix pre-assessment with videos, quizzes, step-through review to break or change things up. For someone reviewing previous training, it may take up to four hours to complete.

Several updates have been made to the training since I last took it, in particular the procedure to handle choking. Now a combination of back blows and abdominal or chest thrusts are advised depending on the situation. The in-person class allowed me to ask questions, practice different scenarios with mannequins (adult and infant), use a training AED, and to recertify.

Please consider if it is within your time and means.

Here is the link to the online class:

https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/classes/adult-child-and-baby-first-aid%2Fcpr%2Faed-online/a6R3o000001vv3D.html

If there are other training opportunities you’d like to share, please feel free in the comments.