BLS CPR & First Aid

Basic Life Support: CPR and First Aid (BLS)

The American Heart Association states that cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) provided by a bystander immediately after sudden cardiac arrest can double or triple a victim's chance of survival. Brain death starts to occur four to six minutes after someone experiences cardiac arrest if no CPR and defibrillation occurs during that time. This course will help prepare you to handle cardiovascular events and other life-threatening incidents.

This fundamental course prepares you to provide proper care for life-threatening illnesses or injuries until professional emergency medical care is available. The life-support skills taught in this course include one-person CPR, use of automatic external defibrillators, bleeding management, assisting a choking victim and responding to a person in shock. The first aid skills taught include conducting secondary assessments, splinting and responding to medical emergencies.

This course is also approved by the U.S. Coast Guard as meeting the CPR and first aid requirements for captain and mate licenses.

What you will learn

You will learn how to perform CPR, use an automated external defibrillator (AED) and become familiar with the signs and symptoms associated with heart attacks and respiratory arrest. Managing shock and controlling external bleeding are other skills covered that can help save lives.