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Cahaba Valley Fire District Professional and Compassionate Service
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Community CPR

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.

Hands-Only CPR in 2 steps. If you see a teen or adult suddenly collapse: Step 1, call 9-1-1 and send someone for an AED. Step 2, push hard and fast in the center of the chest, 2 inches deep, 100 to 120 pushes a minute, until help arrives.

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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31 October

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.

The Chain of Survival. Links 1 to 3 are done by bystanders: 1, call 9-1-1 right away. 2, start high-quality CPR. 3, use an AED as soon as one is available. Links 4 to 6 are done by professionals: 4, advanced care from paramedics. 5, care at the hospital. 6, recovery and support for the patient and family.

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

A CPR instructor kneels on the grass and demonstrates hand placement on a training mannequin while class members watch.

  • 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.

Fields marked required are required.

For example, "weekday evenings in January" or "Saturday, March 14".

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.