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American Red Cross: CPR & First Aid Certification

Designed to build confidence to respond to emergencies, the American Red Cross tailors CPR, AED (automated external defibrillator) and First Aid Certification programs to multiple age groups and individuals. Nationwide recognition gives participants assurance of standardized certification. Programs certify lay responders from babysitters to seniors, and professional rescuers from lifeguards to nurses and EMTs, and require both written testing and hands-on skills checks.

  1. History and Purpose

    • The American Red Cross (ARC) offers neutral humanitarian aid to war and natural disaster victims, comfort and support to military service personnel and their family members, blood services, local and international relief and development, and educational programs promoting and certifying community health and safety. ARC offered first aid courses from its beginning in 1881. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training and certification began in the 1960s.

    Course Development

    • Development in collaboration with educational and medical authorities assures that ARC first aid and CPR/AED courses incorporate up-to-date science in first aid, CPR and emergency cardiovascular care; OSHA guidelines; and innovative educational techniques. Multiple curriculum designs meet school, community and workplace needs, as well as water safety and professional rescuer certification requirements.

    Instructors

    • ARC certifies CPR/AED and first aid instructors through rigorous training programs designed for nationwide consistency and standardization. Only instruction from a currently certified ARC instructor authorized to provide instruction and using currently approved ARC materials qualifies for certification. Instructors may be volunteers, local ARC chapter employees, someone authorized to provide services through a local business or corporation. Local chapters approve instructors to offer certification within that chapter's geographic coverage.

    Training

    • Local ARC chapters offer community courses throughout the year with daytime and evening schedules. In addition, businesses and organizations may request full-service courses, where instructors train at the facility at a convenient time. Authorized providers--certified instructors employed by a business, or who offer instruction on their own--also offer certification courses. All certified instructors authorized to provide services have current instructor certification authorized provider forms on file at the local or regional ARC chapter office.

    Certification

    • CPR for adults, children or infants; first aid and AED for adults and children; injury prevention; blood-borne pathogens; auto-injector; and emergency oxygen courses offer certification for lay responders ages 11 and up, and for professional rescuers. Lay-responder CPR certification must be renewed annually, but first aid certification is valid for three years. Lifeguards must be certified through the professional rescuer program, with recertification required annually. Other professional rescuer certifications have a two-year validation.

      Upon course completion, participants meeting course objectives receive nationally recognized certificates. Local ARC chapters maintain participant and instructor certification and recertification records.

    Course Options and Materials

    • Courses may be grouped (e.g., Adult/Child/Infant CPR with First Aid) or taken individually (e.g., Adult CPR only). ARC offers online instructing and testing, followed by hands-on skills testing at chapter or authorized facilities, full in-class courses, recertification courses and challenges. Full in-class courses typically are instructor-led and include interactive DVD training, hands-on manikin practice, skills checks and written tests. Materials available include manuals, skill cards, CDs, DVDs and posters designed for workplaces, schools, communities and professional rescuers.

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