At the scene of an accident, it is rare that any of the people involved know anything about medicine or how to treat an injury. Movies portray someone ripping a shirtsleeve off, tying it around the wound, and carrying the victim to safety. Or, the victim is having a heart attack and the hero saves them by pumping the victim’s chest a few times and breathing air into their mouth. I would imagine that is harder than it looks; however, I have been thinking how valuable it would be to have a little knowledge in the area of emergency medical training.

In terms of saving someone’s life, boy and girl scouts and high school health classes only go so far, as do movies. Real training on how to save someone’s life in an emergency needs to go a little deeper. There are many resources to get the information you need to save someone’s life. The most basic training you can get would be certification in CPR and first aid. You can do this online for as little as $20, but remember, most of us would not be learning CPR or first aid to get certified, rather to be able to actually use the information to save someone, in which case a hands on course from a local American Red Cross representative or a community college would be much more beneficial. To make it even more advantageous, you could have a neighborhood party where a CPR instructor comes and teaches everyone.
 
If you are looking to go even further, you could get your Basic Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification, which you can usually complete in a few weeks at a local community college or career college. It may seem like a large commitment for training you hopefully will never need, but the one time you use it could save a loved ones life. This training will give you the skills to react quickly and competently to emergencies. You would be able to apply splits, control bleeding, and give other general physical examinations.
 
Furthermore, you should consider your surroundings when thinking about what type of training you should look into. For instance, if you own a swimming pool, it would be a great idea to get certified as a lifeguard. If you work at a restaurant or another place where there is a large public population, CPR certification will come in handy at some point in your life. In general, if you can find the time and energy to get training, you could end up saving someone’s life.