First Aid, CPR/AED, and Aquatic Emergency Response
Objective. Students will demonstrate adult CPR with AED and standard First Aid skills to the current American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross certification standard, and apply those skills to aquatic and worksite emergency scenarios specific to aquaculture.
This lesson, its worked examples and its practice questions has not yet been verified by a licensed professional in the field or by a certification or approval body. It is a study draft and may contain errors. Do not use it as instructions for work on a job site or on live equipment. Always follow your instructor, your supervising professional, and current official references and regulations.
VoTechWorks program approval and accreditation are still in progress. Credentials are issued only by the certifying bodies named in each program, after their own exams.
Why First Aid and CPR Matter in Aquaculture
Aquaculture and marine science worksites combine water, electricity, pressurized systems, and concentrated chemicals in ways that raise the risk of sudden medical emergencies. A worker can slip into a tank, inhale ammonia from a recirculating system, or surface from a dive in distress—far from the nearest hospital. When that happens, the people on site are the first responders. Research by the American Heart Association (AHA) confirms that immediate bystander CPR dramatically improves survival from sudden cardiac arrest. Knowing what to do in the first few minutes is not optional in this trade—it is a core job skill.
This lesson prepares you to earn an AHA Heartsaver or American Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED certification card and to apply those skills in aquaculture-specific emergencies.
Adult CPR and AED Operation
Cardiac arrest means the heart has stopped pumping effectively. The brain begins to suffer damage within minutes without oxygen. The chain of survival has four links: recognize the emergency and call 9-1-1, start CPR immediately, use an AED as soon as one is available, and transfer care to advanced medical personnel.
Compression-only CPR is better than doing nothing, but full CPR with rescue breaths is the standard for trained responders. Current AHA and Red Cross guidelines call for:
- Rate: 100–120 chest compressions per minute
- Depth: At least 2 inches for adults (but no more than 2.4 inches)
- Recoil: Allow the chest to fully recoil between compressions—do not lean on the chest
- Ratio: 30 compressions to 2 rescue breaths for one or two rescuers with an unprotected airway
- Minimize interruptions: Keep pauses under 10 seconds
An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) analyzes heart rhythm and delivers an electrical shock if needed. When an AED arrives, power it on and follow the voice prompts exactly. Apply pads to bare, dry skin—one pad below the right collarbone, one on the left side below the armpit. Clear everyone away before the shock is delivered. Resume CPR immediately after the shock.
Infant and Child CPR
For infant CPR, use two fingers on the center of the chest and compress about 1.5 inches. For a child (roughly age 1 to puberty), use one or two hands and compress about 2 inches. The 30:2 ratio applies for single rescuers; two trained rescuers use 15:2 for infants and children. Hatcheries and research facilities may employ young volunteers—knowing pediatric CPR matters.
Choking and Bleeding Control
For a conscious adult or child who is choking and cannot cough, speak, or breathe, deliver five back blows between the shoulder blades followed by five abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver), alternating until the object is expelled or the person becomes unconscious. For an unconscious victim, begin CPR and check the mouth for a visible object before giving breaths.
Severe bleeding is controlled by direct pressure. Apply firm, continuous pressure with a gloved hand and a clean dressing. Do not remove the first dressing if it soaks through—add more material on top and press harder. Tourniquets are appropriate for life-threatening limb bleeding that cannot be controlled by pressure; apply them high and tight, and note the time of application.
PPE for bleeding control: Always use disposable gloves before contacting blood or body fluids. Eye protection is recommended if splash is possible.
Aquatic Emergency Response: Diver-Down Scenario
When an unresponsive diver is brought to the surface or a boat deck, treat the scene as a potential spinal injury if the mechanism of injury is unknown—minimize neck movement. Remove the victim from the water using as many helpers as needed; do not attempt solo extraction from a confined space without backup.
Once on a stable surface:
1. Check responsiveness—tap shoulders and shout.
2. Call or direct someone to call 9-1-1 and retrieve the AED.
3. Open the airway using head-tilt chin-lift (jaw-thrust if spinal injury is suspected).
4. Give two rescue breaths if trained; look for chest rise.
5. Begin 30:2 CPR if there is no pulse.
6. Apply AED as soon as it arrives.
In-water rescue breathing may be performed during a short tow to shore if you are a trained rescue diver, but surface CPR is far more effective—prioritize getting the victim onto a stable platform quickly.
Chemical Splash Emergency: Hatchery Scenario
Hatcheries use disinfectants, formalin, sodium hydroxide, and other chemicals. A splash to the eyes or skin is a medical emergency.
1. Call out to coworkers and activate EMS if the exposure is serious.
2. Guide the victim to the eye-wash station immediately—do not delay to find the SDS.
3. Flush eyes or skin with clean water for a minimum of 15 minutes (OSHA-aligned guidance for most chemicals).
4. Keep eyelids open during flushing.
5. After flushing, consult the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and follow its first-aid section.
6. Transport to medical care even if symptoms seem minor—some chemicals cause delayed injury.
Eye-wash stations must be within 10 seconds of travel from any area where corrosive chemicals are used. Know where yours is before you need it.
Incident Documentation
After any workplace emergency, accurate documentation protects the injured worker, the employer, and you. A completed incident report records: date, time, and location; names of people involved; a factual description of what happened; interventions performed and by whom; time EMS was called and arrived; and the patient's condition at transfer. Falsifying or omitting information from an incident report can expose you and your employer to regulatory penalties and legal liability. OSHA requires employers to record and report certain injuries; your accurate notes feed that process.
Safety Summary
- Don gloves before any contact with blood or body fluids.
- Confirm the scene is safe before entering—an electrocution victim in water can electrocute a rescuer.
- Do not attempt in-water rescue beyond your training level.
- Know the location of the AED, eye-wash station, and first-aid kit before you start any shift.
- Always call 9-1-1 for an unconscious or unresponsive victim—do not assume a bystander already called.
Key terms10
Materials: CPR manikins (adult and infant), AED trainer units, First Aid supply kit, eye-wash station trainer, incident report blank forms, AHA Heartsaver or Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED student manual, scenario scripts
Check: Students must pass the AHA or Red Cross skills station and written test to receive the certification card; scenario drills are evaluated on a pass/fail checklist—students must perform chest compressions at correct depth and rate, use the AED within the required time window, and complete the incident report accurately to pass
Practice check8
Answer each question, then check it. Nothing is recorded; this is your own practice.
