Carrollton Fire Rescue offering CPR classes

Carrollton Fire Rescue (CFR) is extending a challenge to the local community: Get trained, save a life.

“Through these classes, we’re working to equip citizens with the knowledge needed to make a difference in someone’s life and to make our community one of the safest places to be if an individual experiences a cardiac episode in Carrollton,” Battalion Chief Brian Dickerson said. “By taking just a few hours to get trained, you can be prepared to help save a life when every second counts.”

Safety measures, hygiene plans and program protocols have been established to help create a secure environment for all participants who choose to train for a CPR course completion card with CFR over the coming months.

Classes, beginning in February, will be held in person the first and third Saturdays of each month through April at the Carrollton Fire Rescue Administration building (the Gravley Center, 1111 W. Belt Line Road #100, second floor).

CPR/AED classes on the first Saturday of each month (Feb. 6, March 6, and April 3) from 9-10:45 a.m. are designed for those who do not need a nationally accredited course completion card. The main focus of the class is on adult CPR and AED, but choking and infant CPR are also covered. Participants receive a course completion card from CFR. The cost is $20 for Carrollton residents and $22 for non-residents.

Heartsaver CPR/AED classes on the third Saturday of each month (Feb. 20, March 20, and April 17) from 9-11:45 a.m. are available for those who need a nationally recognized course completion card required by an employer. The curriculum includes CPR/AED and choking for adults, children, and infants. Participants receive an American Heart Association completion card. This class is not for healthcare providers who need a Basic Life Support (BLS) or Healthcare Provider card. The cost is $50 for Carrollton residents and $55 for non-residents.

Basic First Aid classes will be offered on the third Saturday of each month (Feb. 20, March 20, and April 17) from 12:15-3 p.m. These classes are $15 for Carrollton residents and $16.50 for non-residents. Learn how to identify the signs and symptoms of a heart attack and what to do in cases of breathing difficulty, cuts, broken bones, diabetic problems, seizures, and other medical emergencies.

Each year, more than 475,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the United States, according to the American Heart Association. Almost 90 percent of those victims die. CPR, especially if performed in the first few minutes of cardiac arrest, can drastically increase a person’s chance of survival.

Without bystander CPR, the American Heart Association reports that a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival decreases by 7 to 10 percent every minute. Bystander CPR (and early AED use when available) is the only way to increase the chance of survival, which is CFR’s ultimate goal for the trainings they offer. 

CFR encourages local businesses, churches, homeowners associations, and other groups to schedule on-site training courses to establish what could be a safer environment should a cardiac episode occur. CFR instructors will travel to your location and provide scheduled, one-on-one training.

COVID -19 precautions, based on the guidance and best practices from the Governor’s Strike Force to Open Texas and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), include performing enhanced cleanings of high-touch areas, having hand sanitizer available, wearing masks, and keeping attendees socially distanced.

For more information or to schedule a training, call 972-466-4901. To register for upcoming Adult, Child, & Infant CPR/AED, and First Aid courses, visit cityofcarrollton.com/signupnow.