The American Red Cross is an organization dedicated to saving lives. As one of the nation’s leading providers of health and safety courses, the American Red Cross offers CPR classes, in classrooms and online, that are designed to train individuals to be prepared in a medical emergency.
Whether it is a workplace or school requirement or simply because you want the skills to save a life, the American Red Cross has options for you. The American Red Cross also has certification programs for professionals rescuers such as firefighters, paramedics, healthcare providers, and EMTs.
Over 9 million Americans are trained in their programs per year, and for each member of the general public that receives certification, the survival rate of cardiac arrest victims will increase. As it stands now, only 10% of victims of cardiac arrest outside the hospital survive. When victims receive CPR, their chance of surviving does increase. In fact, the American Heart Association expects the survival rate to double or triple as the CPR training increases in the general public.
American Red Cross CPR for Workplaces, Schools, and Individuals
- First Aid/CPR/AED: The course prepares you to respond in a cardiac, breathing, or first aid emergency. This is the American Red Cross’ flagship certification course for non-professionals. The course length ranges from 2-5 hours.
- Responding to Emergencies: This course is designed for High School and College students to be prepared in emergencies. At a course length of 30 hours, it is an extremely comprehensive and ideal certification for young adults.
- Citizen CPR class: These short classes, at just 30 minutes, aim to teach people the basics of a new technique called Hands-Only CPR, which is a type of CPR that skips the rescue breathing step. If you do not need certification and want to learn this important skill, this class is for you.
American Red Cross CPR for Professional Rescuers
- CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and Health Care Providers: If you’re an EMT, Firefighter, or in any field where performing CPR may be part of your job description, this is the course for you. This course includes hands-on training as well as practice rescue scenarios. It takes 5.5 hours to complete.
- Emergency Medical Response: Similar to the CPR/AED course for Professional Rescuers and Health Care Providers but at a much greater depth. This course boasts approximately 51 hours of class time and exceeds EMS Educational Standards.
All of the American Red Cross classes meet OSHA guidelines and many other regulatory and professional standards. You can be sure that your training and certification will be recognized to be among the best available.
More Info on American Red Cross Classes
How much do they cost? Depending on the certification or class, you are looking at the price ranges from approximately $70 to $110.
Can I get my American Red Cross CPR certification online? The American Red Cross has recently developed a First Aid/CPR/AED online course. The course features award-winning simulation learning with a fully interactive experience to respond to emergency scenarios in a virtual setting. The cost is much less than the traditional in-class learning ($25) and is an excellent way to learn CPR whether you are on a tight budget or prefer learning at your own pace from the comfort of your home. One important thing to note is that the American Red Cross online CPR classes do not meet OSHA requirements for workplace certification.
What about a 100% online CPR certification that meets workplace certification requirements? If you need your certification right away and don’t want to go through any in-person training or evaluations, you can get certified with a nationally recognized online CPR certification provider. The highly recommended ProCPR.org offers accredited courses that fulfill all legal requirements for companies mandated to obtain CPR and/or AED training & certification. For more information about the different online training options, you can read our guide to getting your CPR certification online.
How long is my certification valid for? Certifications with the American Red Cross used to be valid for only one year but have recently been extended to two years. Make sure to remember that every two years, you will be required to renew your certification.
Enroll in an American Red Cross Class
The Red Cross has a great deal of information involving ways to protect yourself and your family and how to respond in the event of an emergency.
For more information on American Red Cross CPR classes and find a class near you, visit their ‘Take a Class’ page.
CPR classes do not require a great amount of time, in fact, they can be taken in a few short hours, and are not expensive. In the event that you ever need these lifesaving skills, you will be glad you were prepared.