First Aid, CPR, and AED: Emergency Response for Events and Tourism Sites
Objective. Students demonstrate adult and child CPR with rescue breathing, AED operation, and basic first-aid skills—including control of bleeding, heat-illness management, and suspected spinal precautions—to the standard required by a nationally recognized certification body.
This lesson, its worked examples and its practice questions has not yet been verified by a certified food-safety manager and industry professional 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 Emergency Response Skills Matter in Events and Tourism
Event and tourism professionals work in environments where emergencies can happen without warning—a conference attendee collapses during a keynote, a festival guest overheats in the afternoon sun, or a snorkeler returns to the dive boat bleeding from a reef cut. In these moments, trained staff act before emergency medical services (EMS) arrive. The skills you practice today—CPR, AED operation, bleeding control, heat-illness management, and spinal precautions—are required by nationally recognized certification bodies and are directly relevant to every credential in this program.
Adult and Child CPR with Rescue Breathing
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) keeps oxygenated blood moving to the brain and heart until a defibrillator or advanced care is available. The chain of survival depends on bystanders acting fast.
Scene safety first. Before touching anyone, scan for hazards: electrical wires, traffic, unstable ground, or water. Never become a second victim.
Check responsiveness and call for help. Tap the shoulders firmly and shout. If the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally, shout for someone to call 9-1-1 and retrieve the AED while you begin CPR.
Adult CPR compressions:
- Place the heel of one hand on the center of the chest (lower half of the sternum), interlock fingers of the second hand on top.
- Keep arms straight, compress at least 2 inches deep, and allow full chest recoil between compressions.
- Rate: 100–120 compressions per minute (think of the beat of "Stayin' Alive").
- Ratio: 30 compressions to 2 rescue breaths (if trained and willing); or continuous hands-only compressions if not.
Child CPR (ages 1 to puberty): Use one or two hands; compress about 2 inches (one-third the chest depth); ratio is 30:2 for a single rescuer, 15:2 for two trained rescuers. For infants, use two fingers on the center of the chest just below the nipple line; compress about 1.5 inches.
Rescue breaths: Tilt the head, lift the chin, pinch the nose, and give a breath lasting about 1 second, watching for chest rise. Avoid excessive force—only enough volume to produce visible chest rise.
AED Operation
An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) analyzes heart rhythm and delivers a shock to correct ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia. Minimize interruptions to CPR.
1. Power on the AED (open the lid or press the power button).
2. Attach pads to bare, dry skin: one pad on the upper right chest below the collarbone; one pad on the lower left side of the chest.
3. Clear and analyze: announce "Clear!" and make sure no one is touching the patient while the AED analyzes.
4. Deliver shock if advised: announce "Clear!" again, confirm no one is touching, and press the shock button.
5. Resume CPR immediately for two minutes, then allow re-analysis.
For children under approximately 55 lbs or 8 years old, use pediatric pads or a pediatric key/switch if available. If not available, adult pads may be used as a last resort—place one on the front and one on the back if pads would overlap.
Basic First Aid: Three Priority Skills
Controlling Bleeding
Put on gloves before contact with blood (PPE is non-negotiable). Apply firm, direct pressure with a clean dressing and maintain it—do not lift to check. If bleeding is life-threatening and on a limb, a commercial tourniquet applied 2–3 inches above the wound may be indicated. Note the time of application. Activate EMS for any significant wound.
Heat-Illness Management
Heat exhaustion presents with heavy sweating, weakness, cool/pale/moist skin, nausea, and a rapid/weak pulse. Move the person to a cool shaded area, loosen clothing, apply cool wet cloths, and offer cool water if fully conscious and able to swallow. Monitor for progression to heat stroke (hot/red/dry or damp skin, altered mental status, high body temperature)—heat stroke is a medical emergency requiring immediate EMS activation and aggressive cooling.
Suspected Spinal Injury
After any mechanism that could injure the spine—a hard vehicle stop, a dive accident, a fall—instruct the patient not to move. Stabilize the head in a neutral position and maintain that position until EMS takes over. Do not attempt to move the patient unless the scene becomes immediately life-threatening. Document the mechanism of injury accurately for EMS handoff.
The SAMPLE History
When gathering information from an injured or ill person, use the SAMPLE framework:
- S – Signs and Symptoms
- A – Allergies
- M – Medications
- P – Pertinent past medical history
- L – Last oral intake
- E – Events leading up to the emergency
Document findings on a first-aid report form and pass it to EMS on arrival.
Safety Reminders for This Lab
- Wear gloves whenever handling manikins and during any scenario involving simulated blood.
- Clean manikin faces with the disinfectant provided between users.
- Notify the instructor immediately if you feel dizzy or unwell during compression practice.
- Proper hand placement protects both patient and provider from rib fractures during real events—practice correct technique every repetition.
Key terms8
Materials: Adult and child CPR manikins with face shields, AED trainer units, first-aid scenario cards, SAMPLE history forms, first-aid kit (bandages, gloves, emergency blanket, SAM splints), spinal-precaution demonstration board, nationally recognized CPR/First Aid provider's student workbook and skills checklist
Check: Satisfactory rating on all CPR and AED skill stations using the certifying body's official skills sheet (no critical errors permitted); first-aid scenario reports scored at 80% or higher on a 10-point rubric; students must hold a valid CPR/AED certification card by lesson end.
Practice check8
Answer each question, then check it. Nothing is recorded; this is your own practice.
