You can learn first aid through several well-established organizations that offer courses online, in person, or as a blend of both. The American Red Cross and the American Heart Association are the two largest providers in the United States, while St John Ambulance operates across 44 countries. Most basic courses take a single day or less, cost under $50 for online options, and result in a certification valid for two years.
The Major Training Providers
The American Red Cross is the most widely recognized option in the U.S. and offers courses covering adult, child, and infant emergencies. Their standard course bundles first aid with CPR and AED (automated defibrillator) training. You can take it fully online, fully in person, or through a blended format that pairs online lessons with a hands-on skills session. The online-only version costs $37, with blended and in-person options at a higher price point.
The American Heart Association runs a parallel set of courses called Heartsaver, designed for people with little or no medical background. These are often the go-to choice if your employer requires a certification card for workplace compliance. AHA also offers advanced courses for healthcare professionals, but the Heartsaver line is built specifically for everyday people who want to be prepared.
Outside the U.S., St John Ambulance is the dominant provider, training over 2 million people per year across countries ranging from Canada and New Zealand to Sri Lanka and Jamaica. Their courses are adapted to local conditions and are widely available in workplaces, schools, and community settings. If you’re based in the UK, Australia, or many Commonwealth nations, St John Ambulance is likely your closest option.
Online, In Person, or Blended
Fully online courses are the fastest and most flexible way to get started. You work at your own pace, and AHA’s eLearning courses, for example, don’t require a separate skills test. The tradeoff is obvious: you won’t practice chest compressions on a mannequin or rehearse choking relief on a partner. For personal knowledge, that may be fine. For workplace certification, it can get complicated.
Blended courses split the difference. You complete the knowledge portion online, then attend a shorter in-person session where an instructor watches you perform CPR, use an AED, and demonstrate other hands-on skills. This is the format the Red Cross and AHA both push for people who need a certification that meets regulatory requirements. If you take the Red Cross online course, you have 90 days to schedule and complete an in-person skills session to receive a fully valid, OSHA-compliant certificate.
Traditional in-person classes remain the gold standard for learning. You spend a few hours in a classroom practicing on mannequins, working through scenarios, and getting real-time feedback from an instructor. If you’ve never done CPR before, the muscle memory from an in-person session makes a real difference when it counts.
What a Basic Course Covers
A standard first aid/CPR/AED course teaches you to recognize and respond to the most common emergencies: cardiac arrest, choking, severe bleeding, burns, allergic reactions, and shock. You’ll learn how to perform CPR on adults, how to use an AED (the portable defibrillators found in airports, gyms, and offices), and how to stabilize someone until paramedics arrive. Most courses run between 4 and 8 hours depending on the format.
Pediatric courses cover the same ground but focus on the ways infant and child emergencies differ from adult ones. The AHA’s Heartsaver Pediatric course, for instance, includes choking relief for infants, CPR techniques sized for small bodies, and responses to childhood-specific situations like seizures, drowning, and breathing problems. If you’re a parent, childcare worker, or teacher, a pediatric-specific course is worth the time.
If Your Job Requires It
OSHA requires that worksites without nearby access to a hospital or clinic have at least one person on-site with a valid first aid certificate. The regulation specifically names the American Red Cross as an accepted provider, along with any equivalent training that can be verified with documentation. In practice, certifications from the AHA, the National Safety Council, and other accredited organizations all satisfy this requirement.
If your employer is sending you for training, ask whether they need a specific provider’s card. Some industries and state regulations have preferences. Regardless of provider, standard certifications last two years before you need to renew.
Wilderness and Specialized Training
If you hike, camp, or work in remote areas where professional medical help is hours away, standard first aid training won’t fully prepare you. Wilderness first aid courses teach you to assess and manage injuries and illnesses when evacuation is delayed and your supplies are limited.
NOLS Wilderness Medicine is the leading provider in this space, and their courses scale by depth. A basic Wilderness First Aid (WFA) course runs 16 to 20 hours and covers the fundamentals of backcountry emergency care. Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA) doubles that to 40 hours. The Wilderness First Responder (WFR), considered the standard for outdoor professionals and guides, requires 80 hours of training. A hybrid version combines 30 to 40 hours of online learning with 48 hours in person.
The Red Cross also offers a First Aid for Severe Trauma (FAST) course, which focuses on high-severity injuries like major bleeding and penetrating wounds. This sits between a standard first aid class and wilderness or tactical training in terms of intensity.
How to Choose the Right Course
- For general preparedness: A basic Red Cross or AHA first aid/CPR/AED course covers the situations you’re most likely to encounter at home, at work, or in public.
- For parents and caregivers: A pediatric-specific course from the Red Cross or AHA focuses on infant and child emergencies, which require different techniques than adult care.
- For workplace compliance: Choose a blended or in-person course from the Red Cross, AHA, or National Safety Council to get an OSHA-compliant certification card.
- For outdoor activities: A NOLS Wilderness First Aid course is the minimum if you spend time in backcountry settings. Guides and trip leaders typically need the 80-hour Wilderness First Responder.
To find classes near you, the Red Cross and AHA both have searchable databases on their websites where you enter your zip code and see upcoming sessions. Community colleges, fire departments, and local recreation centers also host courses regularly, often taught by certified instructors from one of the major providers.