CPR, AED, AND FIRST AID TRAINING

First Aid 101

What is First Aid?

First aid is the initial care given by a responder with little equipment to someone who is injured or suddenly becomes ill.

History of First Aid:

More than 160 years ago, a battle in northern Italy sparked an idea that has since changed the world. On June 24,1859, Henry Dunant, a young Geneva businessman, witnessed horrifying suffering and agony following the battle of Solferino. He mobilized the civilian population, mainly women and girls, to care for the wounded irrespective of their role in the conflict. He secured them with the necessary materials and supplies and helped in the establishment of temporary hospitals. His book “A Memory of Solferino” inspired the establishment of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in 1863. Today, the need for humanitarian action is still as vital as it was in 1859.

What is First Aid Certification?

First Aid courses are designed to give First Aid providers the knowledge and skills needed to respond confidently and effectively in an emergency. It is the role of the instructor to help students identify and overcome barriers to taking action in an emergency.

Individuals may take a First Aid course for their own enrichment or as a requirement for work.

First Aid emergency care procedures are based on the most current recommendations published by the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) First Aid Task Force.

How Do I Get Certified in First Aid?

First Aid is easy to learn. To get certified in First Aid, contact an HSI training center to locate and schedule a class with an authorized instructor in your area. You may need to go to the instructor’s location or, if you have a group, an instructor can come to your location. Nationally recognized training agencies who certify instructors to teach First Aid include:

Health and Safety Institute (HSI)
American Heart Association
American Red Cross
National Safety Council
Emergency Care and Safety Institute (ESCI)

Get Certified

First Aid Kit Contents

Each workplace should have a First Aid kit that contains at least the minimum quantities of the items listed below. Supplement each kit with additional supplies and quantities based on the number of people who may use it, the specific hazards of each work site, and federal, state and local regulations.

OSHA references ANSI (American National Standards Institute) for first aid kit contents (ANSI/ISEA Z308.1-2021 Standard: Minimum Requirements for Workplace First Aid Kits and Supplies). Larger quantities or sizes are acceptable. Employers with unique or changing needs may need to enhance their First Aid kits.

Analgesics in a workplace kit should follow FDA regulations for single dose, tamper-evident packaging with full labeling and contain no ingredients which could cause drowsiness.

NOTE: For eyewash or shower requirements, refer to ANSI/ISEA Z358.1: American National Standard for Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment.

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First Aid Facts and Statistics:

Heart attack. About 805,000 Americans have a first or recurrent heart attack every year. In other words, someone in the United States has a heart attack approximately every 40 seconds.
Stroke. More than 795,000 Americans experience a stroke each year. Every 3 minutes and 14 seconds, someone in the United States dies of stroke.
Shock. This life-threatening condition occurs when the body’s organs and tissues don’t receive enough oxygenated blood. The most common cause of shock is severe bleeding. An adult body contains an average of ten pints of blood. Loss of two pints may result in shock, loss of five to six pints usually results in death.
Spinal cord injuries. There are an estimated 17,810 new spinal cord injuries (SCI) each year in the U.S. Males sustain 78% of new SCI. The average age at injury has shifted from 29 to 43 in the past several decades.
Eye injuries. Approximately 2,400,000 eye injuries occur in the United States each year. Of those instances, 35% happen due to a foreign body in the eye.
Burns. An estimated 486,000 burn injuries receive medical treatment each year.
Poisonings. About 93% of poisonings occur at home. Children under the age of 5 account for 41% of poisoning exposures.
Heat-related emergencies. There are about 700 heat-related deaths annually in the United States. Fortunately, heat-related emergencies are usually both treatable and preventable.
Animal bites. It’s estimated that in the United States, 4.5 million dog bites and 400,000 cat bites occur each year in both adults and children.

The Tools for First Aid

HSI offers a wide range of supplies necessary for the safe and effective application of First Aid, including wound care, personal protective equipment, and kits specifically designed for workplace, outdoors and at home. Visit our online store to find the items that best suit your needs:

Shop First Aid Kits