Maintaining that certification now is less time-consuming, thanks to recent changes by the American Red Cross. The organization has changed its recertification requirements CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer to every two years instead of every year.

“We periodically review our program to see if we’re in line with the industry standard,” says Michelle Jantz, manager of operations and program administration at the American Red Cross National Headquarters. “One of the things we discovered is that this is generally a group of responders who use their skill sets more frequently than the average person. If you use it more often, whether it’s on the job or because there’s more in-service training, there’s less need for official recertification each year.”

The certification course combines discussions and video with hands-on skills training based on real-life rescue scenarios and lessons that reinforce decision-making skills. The 6.5-hour course trains responders to react to breathing and cardiac emergencies in adults, children and infants; use an AED on adults and children; employ two-rescuer CPR skills; clear an obstructed airway in conscious and unconscious victims; protect themselves against bloodborne pathogens; and use advanced equipment such as automatic external defibrillators and pocket masks with one-way valves. The training can be customized to include discussion of when to administer emergency oxygen, epinephrine or asthma inhalers.

“Educational materials are designed for success in the class,” Jantz says.

The training is in an instructor-led format and does not have an online component at this time, but Jantz says the Red Cross is looking to develop one.

The training currently does not cover cardiocerebral resuscitation, or hands-only, protocols. The American Red Cross uses science from the Emergency Cardiac Care Group to set CPR standards for CPR. That group still recommends both breaths and compressions and won’t revise its guidelines until late next year.

“But we will be watching this closely to see where this goes,” Jantz says. “This may come into play with differences in professional versus layperson responders.

While the core course work for certification hasn’t changed, the name of the certificate has. Those who pass the course will be issued a certificate in CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer and Health-Care Provider.

“While it’s true that firefighters are professional rescuers, the name didn’t resonate well,” Jantz said. “Using ‘health care’ seemed to form a connection with the group, and really those are the skills that this group needs.

Nearly 500,000 individuals received certification in FY 2008. Anyone can become eligible for certification, as there are no prerequisites, but CPR techniques do require a certain level of physical ability for chest compressions. For fire departments with formal training academies, a CPR day often is included as part of the cadet curriculum.

To recertify those firefighter/EMTs or for departments without a formal academy, the Red Cross offers open-enrollment classes. Departments also can contact the organization to arrange to have a trainer come to their facilities. The Red Cross also can train those who already have certification as instructors. Those instructors, in turn, can conduct their own training within their departments.

Those individuals can “get back to their team and in service to keep their skills sharp,” Jantz says.

Regardless of the certification requirements, Jantz emphasizes that the more often you do training the better. OSHA still recommends training every six months.

“Certification has flexible options to meet their needs, whether the department wants to train every six months or every two years,” Jantz says.