First Aid Certification Levels

First aid is considered the initial response for care of an injury or illness. Awarded to individuals who are not medically trained, it is the first line of treatment a person typically receives outside a hospital or other medical facility. Typically, first aiders, as they are known, provide care to a patient before they are transferred to a higher standard of care, such as a paramedic or a hospital emergency room. There are several first aid certifications available to the general public beginning with CPR and basic first aid to the same certifications professional rescuer's maintain, such as emergency medical technician (EMT). Individuals with first aid skills--regardless of level--are able to save lives, prevent further injury or harm and assist in the recovery process.

History

• War was the original reason for development of a first aid training system. Recorded as early as the 11th century, religious knights provided basic life-saving skills to those injured during battle. In the late 19th century, Henry Dunant, a Swiss businessman witnessed the need for care during the Battle of Solferino in Italy. Publication of his experience was the basis for forming the International Red Cross. In 1881, Clara Barton organized the American Red Cross after a visit to Europe where she first learned of the International Red Cross movement. The American Red Cross later introduced basic training programs for first aid and water-safety practices.

Benefits

• Because first aid is typically applied outside a hospital environment, a doctor may not be available to apply basic or even life-saving techniques. First aid training and certification allows individuals without professional medical training to help injured people during an emergency.

CPR Training

• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR is a life-saving technique delivered to people suffering a heart attack. CPR is given to individuals who do not have a pulse and are not breathing. Combining rescue breathing and chest compressions, CPR stimulates the circulatory system. CPR training is provided to any individual--whether you are a civilian or a member of a professional medical agency--interested in acquiring these skills. The American Heart Association and the American Red Cross offer training, refresher courses and certification in CPR procedures.

Basic First Aid

• Basic first aid certification prepares individuals to provide bandaging and splinting to injured patients. This level of certification also trains individuals to recognize hazards and instructs them on how to remove a person from a situation that will likely cause further damage.

Specialty First Aid Certification

• There are other levels of certifications available to the general public. Many of these are specific to the kind of environment a person frequents, such as the wilderness versus a city. While these are typically classified as professional rescuer certifications, this higher level of training is available to the general public and does not require any prerequisite courses or experience.

  Typically, this level of first aid focuses on advanced life-saving skills and includes certification in CPR technique. Mountaineers, rock climbers, long-distance backpackers and back-country ski enthusiasts benefit from wilderness first aid certification because it relates to medical emergencies that occur in the outdoors or a mountain environment. The National Ski Patrol provides outdoor emergency care, (OEC), certification that focuses on injuries that take place in a winter or mountain environment and participants do not have to be a member of a ski patrol to obtain OEC certification. Similarly, EMT training is available to any member of the general public and focuses on an urban environment.

Considerations

• Knowledge of performing first aid is valuable, particularly if you live with an aging parent, have children or participate in higher-risk activities, such as rock-climbing or ski-mountaineering. Determining the level of certification to obtain should be based on your primary application and location–urban versus rural. Additionally, because individuals typically certified in first aid do not use these skills on a daily basis, consideration should be given to refreshing or practicing, your first aid proficiency on a yearly basis.