In my 30 Before 30 blog post, I listed several certifications that I wanted to get over the next year. I took care of the first one on my list Wednesday night getting Red Cross certified in First Aid, CPR, and AED. I’ve had this certification in the past, but as someone who is regularly involved in fitness as a participant and a trainer, I really wanted to get this up-to-date. Not to mention, you never know when knowing how to give care in emergency situations could come in handy in everyday life. It’s one of those things I’m glad to have, but I’ll be even happier if I never have to use this knowledge.

This certification was pretty simple to get. I signed up for a course through the Red Cross website, but most of my learning took place ahead of time online. I watched videos, read case studies and took an assessment to test my knowledge on giving care for everything from soft tissue injuries and bloody noses to strokes and cardiac emergencies. New since the last time I took this course was the section on using AEDs – automatic external defibrillators. I’ve heard of and seen these before as they’re becoming more common in a lot of places, but never realized how simple they are to use. I followed up the online learning with an in-person 2-hour skills session out at the Red Cross office in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Certified!

That was all it took and now I’m certified! It costs just more than $100. Check out the Red Cross site to find a class near you: http://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/program-highlights/cpr-first-aid