When someone's heart stops, what happens in the first few minutes matters most. Cahaba Valley Fire District teaches CPR, AED and first aid classes for our community, following American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines.
Community CPR
Upcoming classes
No classes are scheduled right now. Request information and we'll let you know when the next class is set, or ask about a class for your group.
Class calendar
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Register for a class
There are no classes open for registration right now. Please check back, or request information.
Why learn CPR?
- More than 350,000 cardiac arrests happen outside of a hospital in the United States every year.
- About 7 in 10 of them happen at home, so the life you save is most likely someone you love.
- CPR, especially when it's started right away, can double or triple a person's chance of survival.
- Only about 4 in 10 people who have a cardiac arrest outside a hospital get CPR before help arrives.
The Chain of Survival
The American Heart Association describes the steps that give a person in cardiac arrest the best chance to live. The first three are in the hands of bystanders.
Hands-Only CPR
Hands-Only CPR is CPR without mouth-to-mouth breaths. It is recommended for anyone who sees a teen or adult suddenly collapse.
- Place the heel of one hand in the center of the chest and your other hand on top.
- Push hard and fast: at least 2 inches deep, 100 to 120 times a minute. That's the beat of the song "Stayin' Alive."
- Let the chest come all the way back up between pushes.
- Don't stop until paramedics or an AED take over.
For infants and children, and for adults who collapse from drowning, a drug overdose or a breathing problem, CPR with breaths is recommended. Our classes teach both.
Using an AED
An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a portable device that can shock the heart back into a normal rhythm. AEDs are made to be used by anyone: turn it on and follow the voice prompts. Put the pads on the bare chest, make sure no one is touching the person when the AED says to shock, and then go right back to CPR.
Find out where the AEDs are at your work, school, church and gym before you need one.
Classes we offer
- Hands-Only CPR – a short, free session for neighborhoods, community groups and events. No course card.
- Heartsaver CPR AED – adult, child and infant CPR, AED use and choking relief for people with little or no medical training, including those who need a course card for their job.
- Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED – everything in Heartsaver CPR AED plus first aid for bleeding, burns, allergic reactions and other emergencies.
- BLS Provider – Basic Life Support for healthcare and public safety professionals.
AHA course completion cards are valid for two years. Want a class for your business, church, school or neighborhood? Use the request form below.
Alabama's Good Samaritan law
Alabama law protects people who give emergency care, including CPR and AED use, in good faith and without pay. Don't let fear of doing something wrong stop you from helping.
Learn more
Request information or a class for your group
Have a question, or want a class for your business, church, school, HOA or civic group? Tell us what you need and our Community Risk Reduction team will be in touch.
The American Heart Association strongly promotes knowledge and proficiency in all AHA courses and has developed instructional materials for this purpose. Use of these materials in an educational course does not represent course sponsorship by the American Heart Association. Any fees charged for such a course, except for a portion of fees needed for AHA course materials, do not represent income to the Association.