Own A Pool? Consider CPR Certification
With the New Year upon us, it’s commonplace to make a resolution to change your life such as eating healthier or exercising more. Many of us start off in January strong in our resolve, but as the year goes on, we begin to slack and revert to our old habits. This leads to feelings of disappointment or making more empty promises to ourselves, i.e. “I’ll start on Monday.” However, what about making a resolution that could help change and even save the lives of others? Putting others first could be the difference you need when it comes to motivation and sticking to your New Year resolution and in turn, lead to a lasting positive impact on your life as well.
Learning a new skill, such as CPR certification, could make all the difference when every second counts. If you are a parent and especially if you are a pool owner, becoming certified in this emergency procedure should be at the top of your priority list. A CPR and water safety course is also beneficial to anyone teachers, babysitters, and family and friends of people with children as well. Finding a course locally is easy and convenient thanks to organizations such as the Red Cross or YMCA and they’re also very affordable. An Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED certification can be obtained in a single day and is valid for two years.
A typical CPR certification course begins with a general overview of what will be covered and why the certification is so important. A manual is also handed out with step-by-step instructions which not only covers the CPR procedure itself but what to do before administering and after. Some of the questions you’ll be able to answer by the end of the course are: When should I call 911 and how can I best describe the situation to the dispatcher? What do I do if the person is unconscious? How do I safely administer CPR? How is CPR different for adults compared to children?
Once the instructor goes over the written instructions, a video is shown of various situations where CPR may be called for. Mannequins are then provided to the students in the class so that they can put into practice what they have learned. An adult and pediatric CPR course will give you the opportunity to work with different size mannequins based on the age of the person in distress. After receiving feedback from the instructor, the day ends with a multiple choice test and once cleared with a passing grade, a CPR certification card for your wallet will be distributed.
When searching for a CPR course, there are a few things you want to look out for. First, you want to make sure you are taking the class from a certified instructor with a written assessment at the end to determine your level of competency. You’ll also want to ask if everyone will receive hands-on training to make sure you leave feeling both educated and experienced. Besides the Red Cross or YMCA, you can also check-out using a service such as A Hero For Life to find a course that fits your needs and schedule.