New Red Cross programs 'go digital' to give consumers more flexibility.

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Red Cross, the nation's largest provider of CPR and first aid training, today announced the launch of the next generation of Red Cross health and safety training. The new training features a two-year certification for first aid and CPR training, and other cost and time-saving benefits for course takers and instructors.

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The first program in the series is the First Aid/CPR/AED program, which will be released today. This program trains individuals in workplaces and communities to respond to breathing and cardiac emergencies, injuries and sudden illness until advanced medical personnel arrives. The program incorporates the latest science, meets OSHA guidelines and now offers:

• 2-year certification with free digital refreshers
• Choice of free digital or affordable print course materials
• Concise, learner-centered course offering more hands-on skill practice
• An online learning center that allows individuals to register for courses and instructors to manage course records and print certificates.

Training is available through a variety of flexible delivery options, including classroom, online and blended learning options. The Red Cross also offers organizations the choice to train their employees onsite, at a Red Cross chapter, or through a train-the-trainer model, and can provide large organizations with multiple locations a standardized nationwide training option. As always, the training offers continuing education credits.

"We believe that the new First Aid/CPR/AED program provides our customers with a better, more interactive training experience, along with greater value and convenience," said Dr. David Markenson, American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council chair. "Scientific updates include emphasis on quickly getting CPR started for anyone in cardiac arrest."

"In addition, we think participants will enjoy the new courses because they emphasize hands-on skills practice," he continued. "So when people complete their training, they truly feel confident in their skills to save a life."

A recent Red Cross survey shows that 1 in every 4 people say they have been in a situation where someone needed CPR. Optional training covering the use of asthma inhalers, epinephrine auto-injectors and manufactured tourniquets, as well as Bloodborne Pathogens Training, are also available.

The next generation of Red Cross training will expand throughout 2011, with the release of additional training programs including CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and Health Care Providers, Emergency Medical Response and Lifeguarding.

To find out how to schedule group training, visit redcross.org or contact your local Red Cross chapter. Individuals who need training may visit redcross.org/training and register online.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

SOURCE American Red Cross

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