|  | Conditions Treatments | Wounds Injuries

CPR Classes for Families

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an essential skill that has the potential to save lives in any number of situations. Schools begin teaching CPR in late elementary school. To keep those skills active, however, citizens can take CPR classes at any point in their lives. Many institutions offer CPR classes for individuals and for families; there are even CPR training courses for military families.

  1. CPR for Military Families

    • Some institutions offer CPR courses for military families. The Red Cross of Charleston, South Carolina, is one such institution. Classes are offered in child and adult CPR and first aid, as well as CPR and first aid for professional rescue staff. The classes are held in North Charleston at the Carolina Lowcountry Chapter; locations can be changed for groups of at least eight people.

    CPR at the University

    • Universities can also be resources for learning CPR. The University of California at Davis, for example, offers occasional CPR classes for families. Classes are held at the Wellness Center on campus on weekday afternoons and tend to last approximately three hours. Classes are based on the American Heart Association's Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation for Families and Friends. Classes teach their students not only warning signs for health problems such as heart attack or stroke in adults, but also childhood conditions such as sudden infant death syndrome. Students will learn about survival in such situations and practice CPR for both adults and children.

    CPR Training Centers

    • Some cities have centers that dedicate themselves to training citizens in CPR techniques. Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has the "One Beat" CPR Training Center, which offers a class called "CPR for Family & Friends." Classes are often taught by local police or firefighters and provide students with scenarios that might happen in real-life situations, forcing students to learn to react appropriately. Students learn to recognize signs of things like heart attack or stroke; other classes focus both on adult and pediatric CPR, or one or the other. Classes are also given in Spanish.

    The American Heart Association Method

    • Many CPR training courses nationwide use a CPR training method drawn up by the American Heart Association called "CPR Anytime for Families & Friends." Sometimes this training tool is offered as a kit that families can buy to self-educate on CPR; the kit comes with a dummy that trainees can practice CPR on. However, the AHA also offers its materials to communities to aid in teaching CPR to citizens. Many organizations, such as Survival Group, use the AHA's methods and products to teach CPR.

Wounds Injuries - Related Articles