CPR and Educational Classes
Due to the volume of requests for this class, we are currently only accepting registrations for those living or employed within the city limits. Please refer to the map to determine if your address is within the City of Decatur. Your zip code will be 30030. If your employer is within the city limits you may provide a letter from them to attend.
Registration is currently open for our April 6th class (we had a conflicting event on the third Saturday of April). Please remember that if you are late to the class, you cannot receive a card.
City of Decatur Fire Rescue Department offers First Aid and CPR courses. The class is free to residents, but there is a charge of $23 for the certification card and student handbook, or $9 if you are a teacher or student within the City of Decatur. Classes are not currently available for non-residents. Please check the map here to determine if your residence is within the outline of the city limits if you are unsure. If you would like to register for a class, you can email us at gary.menard@decaturga.com with your address or the address of the business where you are employed within the city limits. Once your address is verified, a link will be sent to you for registration and payment. CPR classes are offered on the third Saturday of every month at 9am, so when asked for the class date, enter which third Saturday you are hoping to attend. If you do not need a card, we will offer the AHA "Family and Friends" option on an alternative date with a cost of just $2.50 for the handbook. The link will be open until we reach our 12 student maximum, so it's first come, first served, with registration. Contact gary.menard@decaturga.com with questions about the class.
It has often been said that being certified in CPR is like having fire insurance. You really hope you never need to use it, but if you do, you’ll be glad you have it. Every 5 years the American Heart Association (AHA) makes changes to their CPR guidelines in an effort to continuously improve the quality of care in the CPR community. On an on-going basis, the AHA works to collect and analyze data from EMS and hospital calls in order to continuously improve pre-hospital care, which will, in turn, increase the odds of patient survival. In 2016 the AHA updated their CPR guidelines for their instructors.
So how does this impact you?
An American Heart Association CPR certification is valid for two years. Although the guidelines have changed, your card and certification will remain current for the remainder of your certification period. Starting in early 2016, any refresher training you complete will be under the new 2016 guidelines.
A comprehensive list of protocol changes will be reviewed with you by your CPR instructor at your next renewal. At your next AHA renewal you can expect to see an emphasis on the process for initializing CPR and minimizing the delays in treatment.
New Guidelines (the focus is on completing tasks simultaneously):
- Call for help while checking for a pulse and adequate breathing;
- Use an AED as soon as its available;
- Immediately activate the Emergency Response System (chances are that someone in your office will have a phone readily available as opposed to someone having to ‘run’ to call 911)
Another change in 2016 is the implementation of a ceiling for the rate at which chest compressions are administered. Under the old guidelines, chest compressions were given at a rate of at least 100 per minute (have the song ‘Stayin Alive’ stuck in your head as a tool to help keep tempo!) One drawback to requiring only a minimum number of compressions per minute is that often times rescuers tend to sacrifice quality for quantity. The AHA now recommends a rate of between 100-120 compressions per minute. A compression rate of over 120 per minute often results in incomplete chest recoil, compromising the venous return.
Although not a guideline, many training centers are now able to offer E-learning to their students. E-learning is a new tool that allows students to complete the classroom portion of their CPR certification as well as take the written test on their own time. Once that is completed, an instructor is still needed for practical skill demonstration and skill testing. If you have scheduling conflicts that make gathering your entire staff for a CPR class difficult, this new tool may be beneficial to utilize. You should contact your AHA CPR instructor to find out if they have this option available.
There are a number of reasons to get certified in CPR, whether it is part of your job or perhaps you want to have the training in the unfortunate event you may need to utilize the skills in your day to day life. So go to your files, wallet, purse, kitchen drawer or anywhere you may keep that card and check its expiration date. If it’s getting close to two years ALREADY, get a hold of your CPR instructor. Staying current on your refresher training is vital. Vital that in the unfortunate event an emergency happens near you, you can feel confident in your skills to help if needed, and possibly save a life.
