When a person goes into Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), their survival depends on immediately getting CPR from someone nearby. Unfortunately, according to the American Heart Association, less than 1/3 of those who suffer cardiac arrest at home, at work, or in a public place receive CPR. As a result, hundreds of thousands of people die each year in the United States. Often, it's because bystanders don't know CPR!
Scheduling Classes for Groups
The department offers the following free, non-certification classes for groups of 15 or more:
- Hands-Only CPR for Adult Victims (45-minute class)
- CPR for Adults, Children, and Infants (60-minute class)
- AED Usage and Choking Relief (15-minute add-on)
If you have a group who'd like to learn either of these classes, submit a training class request here, and our community outreach team will contact you. We can host classes in a county building or at a location of your choosing within Howard County.
The department's classes are not appropriate for those seeking a CPR certification card. If you are seeking a certification class, The American Red Cross and the American Heart Association offer CPR certification classes for the public.
Schedule a group class here.
Community Classes for Individuals
The department offers adult CPR classes for individual members of the community monthly. Classes are appropriate for those 12 years or older. Anyone under 18 years old must be accompanied by an adult.
Register for an CPR for Adults, Children, and Infants class here.
Learn Virtually
Are you interested in learning CPR but can’t attend a class in-person? Check out our training videos below, led by one of the department’s community outreach specialists.
Hands-Only CPR for Adult Victims
The following 52-minute video is a virtual presentation of HCDFRS’ class for hands-only CPR for adult victims.
CPR for Children and Infants
The following 22-minute video is a virtual presentation of HCDFRS’ CPR class, with specific content for children and infants. For the full class content, start by watching our Hands-Only CPR for Adult Victims class and Choking Relief class, which are both available virtually on this page.
Choking Relief for Adults, Children and Infants
The following 24-minute video is a virtual presentation of HCDFRS’ class for choking relief for adults, children and infants.