CPR, AED, and First Aid Certification
Objective. Students will demonstrate adult CPR with AED use and provide basic first aid for bleeding, shock, and suspected fractures to the standard required by their chosen certification organization (American Heart Association Heartsaver or Red Cross equivalent).
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 CPR, AED, and First Aid Matter in Law Enforcement and Security
Security officers and law enforcement personnel are often the first on scene when someone collapses, suffers a severe injury, or goes into cardiac arrest. Minutes matter: brain damage begins within about four to six minutes of cardiac arrest, and survival rates drop sharply for every minute that passes without CPR or defibrillation. Your certification in CPR, AED use, and first aid is not optional—it is a baseline professional standard required by most employers and by the credentialing organizations whose card you will earn in this course.
This lesson follows the skill standards of the American Heart Association (AHA) Heartsaver program or the American Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED program. Both are widely recognized; your instructor will confirm which organization is administering your skills check.
Safety First: Scene Safety and PPE
Before you touch any patient, assess the scene. Ask yourself: Is there traffic, a weapon, live electrical current, unstable structure, or an ongoing threat? A responder who becomes a second victim helps no one. Verbalize your check aloud during every practice repetition so it becomes automatic.
Always don nitrile gloves before contact with a patient. Use a pocket mask or face shield for rescue breaths. These simple steps protect you from bloodborne pathogens and are required by your agency's exposure-control plan.
The Adult CPR/AED Sequence
Step 1 – Check scene safety. Confirm it is safe to approach.
Step 2 – Check responsiveness. Tap the shoulders firmly and shout, "Are you okay?" If no response, shout for help and direct someone to call 9-1-1 and get the AED.
Step 3 – Check for breathing. Look for normal breathing for no more than ten seconds. Gasping is not normal breathing.
Step 4 – Begin chest compressions. Place the heel of one hand on the center of the chest (lower half of the sternum), place your other hand on top, and interlock fingers. Keep arms straight, compress at least two inches deep, and allow full chest recoil. Rate: 100–120 compressions per minute. Minimize interruptions—limit pauses to less than ten seconds.
Step 5 – Deliver rescue breaths (if trained and willing). After 30 compressions, give 2 breaths using a pocket mask, each lasting about one second, watching for chest rise. If you are not trained in rescue breaths or if the patient is a stranger and you prefer compression-only CPR, continue uninterrupted compressions—this is acceptable for adult cardiac arrest.
Step 6 – Apply the AED as soon as it arrives. Power on the device and follow the voice prompts. Attach pads as shown in the diagrams on the pads (one below the right collarbone, one on the left side below the armpit). Clear everyone from the patient before the AED analyzes and before any shock is delivered. Resume CPR immediately after each shock or if no shock is advised. Continue until EMS takes over, the patient shows obvious signs of life, or you are too exhausted to continue.
Controlling Severe Bleeding
Severe external bleeding is life-threatening. Use direct pressure first: place a gloved hand and a clean cloth or dressing firmly over the wound and press hard without releasing. If bleeding involves a limb and is not controlled by pressure, apply a commercial tourniquet (such as a CAT) two to three inches above the wound, tighten until bleeding stops, and note the time of application. Never remove a tourniquet in the field—that decision belongs to EMS or medical personnel.
Recognizing and Positioning a Patient in Shock
Shock occurs when the body cannot deliver enough oxygenated blood to vital organs. Signs include pale, cool, or clammy skin; rapid and weak pulse; rapid breathing; confusion; and anxiety. Unless a spinal injury is suspected, have the patient lie flat and elevate the legs about twelve inches. Maintain body warmth, keep the patient calm, and do not give food or water. Activate EMS immediately—shock is a medical emergency.
Splinting a Suspected Fracture
Do not try to straighten a deformed limb. Immobilize the injury in the position you find it, securing the joint above and below the suspected fracture. Improvised splints can be made from rigid objects (boards, rolled magazines) padded with soft material. Check circulation, sensation, and movement (CSM) distal to the injury before and after splinting. If CSM worsens after splinting, loosen the splint.
Responding to an Unresponsive Choking Adult
If an adult who was choking becomes unresponsive, lower them carefully to the ground, call 9-1-1, and begin the CPR sequence. Each time you open the airway to give a breath, look in the mouth for a visible object and remove it only if you can clearly see it—do not perform blind finger sweeps.
Your Certification Card
You must pass both a skills check and a written test administered by the certifying organization. Your card is valid for two years. If you do not pass the skills check on the first attempt, your instructor will provide remediation and you will have one additional attempt within this course. Keeping your certification current throughout your career is your professional responsibility.
Key terms9
Materials: Adult CPR manikins (at least 1 per 2 students), AED trainers, pocket masks, nitrile gloves, tourniquets (commercial CAT or similar trainer versions), splinting materials, bandages, AHA Heartsaver or Red Cross First Aid CPR AED student workbook, skills check sheets.
Check: Students must pass the certifying organization's skills check and written test to receive a recognized CPR/First Aid/AED certification card valid for two years; students who do not pass the skills check on the first attempt receive remediation and one additional attempt within the course window.
Practice check8
Answer each question, then check it. Nothing is recorded; this is your own practice.
