WISCONSIN — After Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field Monday during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals, many have been stressing the importance of CPR and AED in saving lives.
Yet many people aren’t certified.
A study from the American Heart Association found that 65% of adults in the U.S. said they’ve received CPR certification, but only about 18% are up-to-date on training.
In Milwaukee County, bystander-CPR rates hover around 20%, according to the American Heart Association. That means someone going into cardiac arrest in the county has about a one in five chance of having someone step in to offer CPR before first responders get there.
There are several places across the state that you can get certified or learn about CPR. Here are just a handful of the top places that offer courses:
Red Cross
The American Red Cross offers CPR classes across the state. Some are online; some are in person. Others are a combination of the two. In this course, you’ll learn the latest methods for providing care during a sudden cardiac arrest in all ages. After completing the course, you’ll earn a digital certificate.
Find classes near you, here.
American Heart Association
The American Heart Association also offers classes throughout the state for anyone who wants to be prepared for a medical emergency. There are five different public courses you can choose from, including Heartsaver CPR AED and Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED.
Find classes near you, here.
YMCA
Many YMCAs offer first aid courses that include CPR. YMCA members will usually be charges a lower fee than non-YMCA-members.
Here are a few locations that offer courses:
Greater Green Bay YMCA offers a CPR and AED use course in May that gives a quick lecture on the topic for one hour and then gives participants hands-on practice with mannequins and AEDs.
Find more information on that, here.
YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee also has several safety trainings available, including a basic life support course that gives a 2-year certification. The course is open to professional rescuers and is offered by the American Safety & Health Institute.
Kenosha YMCA also has a blended Adult & Pediatric CPR AED First Aid course, with some online portions that last 3 hours. Once the online portion is complete, you can attend the in-person skill session.
More information on that can be found on their website.
The La Crosse Area Family YMCA has CPR/AED & First Aid as well as re-certification courses available throughout 2023.
Find information on that, here.
Woodson YMCA in Wausau has a CPR/AED course for anyone wanting to get certified. Classes may be cancelled due to low enrollment. It costs $50 for members and $70 for non-members.
Find more information, here.
Colleges
Local colleges also offer CPR courses, many through the American Heart Association. Most are open to the public. Here are a few across the state:
Western Technical College in La Crosse has classes open to the public and as a prerequisite for many of their health-related programs. They’re held throughout the year and range from CPR for Family and Friends, Heartsaver AED, Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers and more.
There are full details, here.
The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse also offers courses to the public for a cost and will list spring 2023 dates, here.
UW-Madison offers courses through the campus police department using American Heart Association materials. The training is offered every month at the UW-Madison School of Nursing building. There are fees associated with the courses.
Here’s where you can sign up.
Waukesha County Technical College is an American Heart Association Regional Training Center that offers courses with certification valid for two years. The college has hands-on training in Heartsaver CPR, First Aid and more.
You can find more information, here.
Northcentral Technical College also provides a large array of courses in the Wausau area, including Basic Life Support or CPR training, a skills test or refresher course. It also offers a babysitting certification course.
Check availability for those courses, here.
Northeast Technical College certification courses include for CPR, Basic Life Support and First Aid. Courses are offered at Green Bay, Marinette, Sturgeon Bay, Washington Island and Crivitz, among other locations.
Other methods
In addition to colleges, YMCAs, the Red Cross and the American Heart Association, some local city officials offer local trainings.
Dane County Emergency Management has a list of trainings offered through their EMS departments as well as several other places, including UnityPoint Health and UW Health Emergency Education Center.
See that list, here.
Milwaukee County has an initiative called Hands-Only CPR trainings. It doesn’t offer certification but is free to the public. It’s offered at sporting events, health fairs and community festivals and involves 10 to 20 minutes of training. To find out more about this program, contact Milwaukee Fire Department Director of Community Relations at 414-286-8970.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services also has a list of approved CPR and AED courses on its website.
This is not a complete list of places in the state that offer courses in CPR. Check with your local officials to find more near you.