Free Online First Aid & Safety Training

 

 

Updated: January 23, 2024 

    Added public health and human rights training resources.

Active Bystander and TECC / FEMA

Mass casualty events, whether because of an active shooter incident, natural disaster, or accident, are rare, but they do happen. First responders will always come when called, but their response takes time, time that some injured do not always have. When first responders initially arrive at the scene, there may not be enough of them to provide immediate care to all those who are wounded. When these mass casualty events occur, uninjured or minimally injured citizens may choose to be Active Bystanders and provide lifesaving care to those in need.

The medical care described in this [40-minute, online] program is based on the guidelines published by the Committee for Tactical Emergency Casualty Care. TECC comprises medical guidelines that describe the care that should be provided for a patient who is injured in an active threat or high threat incident such as an active shooter. TECC establishes treatment guidelines based on the order in which somebody will die from their wounds or injuries and how close you are to the threat. TECC is closely modeled on military medical guidelines, but it accounts for civilian population differences, resource differences, and scope of practice differences.

When dealing with mass casualty events such as an active shooter, there may be multiple injured people with multiple wounds. When someone is injured, it is important to understand which injuries are life-threatening and how they might be treated. Some injuries may also be beyond the ability for a bystander to treat. Rapid care for treatable injuries saves lives.  (https://emilms.fema.gov/training/active-shooter_targeted-violence-and-mass-casualty-events/)

 

Amnesty International - Human Rights Academy

Training a new generation of human rights defenders - strengthening the human rights movement through action-oriented education.  (https://www.amnesty.org/en/get-involved/online-courses/)

(https://academy.amnesty.org/learn)

 

AdventureSmart

AdventureSmart (https://elearning.adventuresmart.ca/) and its suite of five programs, is a national prevention program focused on reaching Canadians, and visitors to Canada, who participate in outdoor recreational activities.

1. Hug-a-Tree and Survive is an AdventureSmart program that helps lost children survive in the woods. It teaches children how not to become lost in the woods, and what to do should they become lost.

2. The Survive Outside program offered by AdventureSmart is a great way to learn the value of preparation for safety in outdoor activities. Augment your basic outdoor survival knowledge by taking the “Survive Outside- A Guide to Outdoor Safety,” program.

3. The Snow Safety & Education presentation is intended to foster awareness of the risks associated with these activities for children, to make sure they have the safest, and most enjoyable experience possible while outdoors.

4. PaddleSmart is designed for youth and adults who want to paddle, whether it is using stand-up paddleboards, kayaks or canoes. Topics include trip planning, training and taking the essentials for water-based activities. Segments on moving water and coastal water can be added to the presentation depending on location.

5. Survive Outside – Snowmobiling. During the winter months, Canada is a snowmobiling mecca. From fast-flowing trails to pristine off-piste backcountry, snowmobiling is a popular winter activity which allows participants to experience winter’s splendor in the great outdoors.

 

Avalanche Awareness
Crux Academy - Utah Avalanche Forecast Center
Duration: 5hr 42min (Level: Intermediate)

(https://www.crux.academy/course/avalanche-awareness-know-before-you-go)

Dive into this mini-course to learn the principles needed to be safer and more confident in the avalanche terrain. Learning about avalanches is the best way to ski, ride, and hike in avalanche terrain safely. This short course from the Utah Avalanche Center covers five main areas:

·         Equipment

·         Snow science

·         Avalanche forecasting

·         Recognizing the clues to avalanche conditions

·         Rescue and getting out of harm’s way

 

Basic Emergency Care

Developed by the World Health Organization and International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC), in collaboration with the International Federation for Emergency Medicine (IFEM), the *Basic Emergency Care (BEC): Approach to the Acutely Ill and Injured course is an open-access training course for first contact health workers who manage acute illness and injury with limited resources. Course duration: Approximately 7 hours (https://openwho.org/courses/bec)

Course contents

·         Module 1: The ABCDE and SAMPLE history approach

·         Module 2: Trauma

·         Module 3: Difficulty in Breathing

·         Module 4: Shock

·         Module 5: Altered Mental Status

·         Module 6: Transfer and Handover

 

Basic Emergency Care: Conflict-Related Injuries (https://openwho.org/courses/bec-conflict-related-injury) Developed by the World Health Organization, International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation for Emergency Medicine, the BEC Extended Modules: Conflict-Related Injuries support the delivery of quality emergency care for patients with conflict-related trauma, covering penetrating injury, blast injury and burns. These extended modules follow the BEC systematic approach to the initial assessment and management of time-sensitive critical conditions where early intervention saves lives. [Approximately 2-hours]

 

Become an EMT Specialization - Coursera (https://www.coursera.org/specializations/become-an-emt) – Free to Audit / Cost if Enrolled

 * EMT Foundations - 14 hours

 * Medical Emergencies: Airway, Breathing, and Circulation - 13 hours

 * Medical Emergencies: CPR, Toxicology, and Wilderness - 12 hours

 * Trauma Emergencies and Care - 11 hours

 * Emergency Care: Pregnancy, Infants, and Children - 16 hours

 * Prepare for the EMT Certification Test - 10 hours

 

CDC TRAIN

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention TRAIN provides access to more than 1,000 courses developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) programs, grantees, and other funded partners. (https://www.train.org/cdctrain/welcome)  

 

Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events Instructor

Civilians who find themselves embroiled in an active shooter event must be prepared to take immediate action to save their own lives before law enforcement arrives. The average response time for police response to an active attack event is three minutes. Without effective, pre-planned response options for civilians at the scene of the attack, many victims can be seriously injured or killed during these three minutes. Approximate time to complete: 4-hours. (https://teex.org/class/let222/)

 

Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM)

Improve your knowledge and skills in suicide prevention with these self-paced online courses. (https://zerosuicidetraining.edc.org/)

 

Deployed Medicine

Deployed Medicine is a platform used by the Defense Health Agency to trial new innovative learning models aimed at improving readiness and performance of deployed military medical personnel. The intent is to deliver personalized, dynamic learning using the most current and accessible technology, enabling a self-directed and continuous study of medical best practices and lessons learned. (https://www.deployedmedicine.com/)

 

Disaster Ready (https://ready.csod.com/)

                * First Aid 103-01

This 1-hour and 10-minute online course describes common injuries that require first aid treatment and how to provide aid for such injuries. The course identifies major emergencies requiring the services of emergency personnel and provides initial treatment for such injuries. When providing aid, you will learn to adhere to the universal precautions taken to prevent the transmission of bloodborne pathogens and prevent infections. You will also learn to identify the dual causes of slips, trips, and falls as lack of alertness and physical hazards.

                * Bloodborne Pathogens 103-02

This 50-minute online course defines bloodborne pathogens and describes the common diseases caused by them. The course also explains how to protect yourself from exposure to bloodborne pathogens and what to do when exposed to them.

                * First Aid Resuscitation – Choking, CPR, and AED 103-03

This 50-minute online course teaches you to identify the signs of choking, cardiac arrest, heart attack, and stroke. Learn how to assist victims using appropriate first aid techniques including the Heimlich Maneuver, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), and the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

                * Temperature Related Stress and Illnesses 103-04

This 50-minute online course teaches you how to recognize the causes and effects of temperature related stress and to identify illnesses associated with temperature related stress.

                * Principles of Psychological First Aid

In this 2-hour curriculum learn what psychological first aid (PFA) is and is not, how to provide it responsibly, who can provide it, when and where it should be provided, and when someone should be referred for more specialized care.  This scenario-based course walks you through the four main principles of PFA—Prepare, Look, Listen and Link—it explains the importance of self-care for first responders and others who are helping people in stressful situations.

 

Emergency Trauma Response

In 2020 Mountain Man Medical teamed up with ConcealedCarry.com to build out a video training course entitled "Emergency Trauma Response." This 100% FREE video-based course can be viewed online from any internet-connected device and is a comprehensive training program for any civilian who wishes to be prepared for trauma-based medical emergencies. (https://www.mountainmanmedical.com/trauma-medicine-training/)

 

FEMA Independent Study

The Emergency Management Institute (EMI) offers self-paced courses designed for people who have emergency management responsibilities and the general public. All are offered free-of-charge to those who qualify for enrollment. (https://training.fema.gov/is/)

 

First Aid for Free

All of our online first aid, CPR & AED courses are free and open to anyone who has registered an account with us. Each course contains first aid quizzes and videos to build upon your first aid knowledge. Once you’ve completed each course you will receive a free first aid & CPR certificate which you can download and print.  (https://www.firstaidforfree.com/)

 

First Aid for Knife Attacks - ProTrainings UK

This free [50-minute] course looks at the basic first aid required to treat a knife crime injury at the scene. With simple first aid techniques and fast activation of the emergency services, lives can be saved. First aid is not difficult and very easy to learn and remember.  The course covers keeping yourself safe to different first aid subjects to give you a basic understanding of how to save a life. The course is broken down into short videos and once you complete the course you can download your free certificate.  (https://www.protrainings.uk/courses/535-first-aid-for-knife-attacks-level-2-vtq)

 

General Backcountry Safety 

This is a free, online course designed to provide an introduction for beginners and intermediate backcountry enthusiasts to help develop safe habits in the backcountry. This material is designed to cover the fundamental ideas that will help equip you to travel safely and be able to deal with emergency situations that can occur in the backcountry. (https://training.mra.org/course/index.php?categoryid=2)

 

Global Health eLearning Center

GHeLC (https://www.globalhealthlearning.org/) offers courses aimed at increasing knowledge in a variety of global health technical areas.

 

Global First Aid Reference Centre

The Global First Aid Reference Centre is a ‘centre of excellence’ of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) hosted by the French Red Cross. The European Centre for First Aid Education was created in 1996 then became Global First Aid Reference Centre (GFARC) in 2012 to answer growing demands in our field. Our ultimate objectives are to reduce the number of deaths and the severity of injuries as well as to make people and communities more resilient using first aid. (https://www.globalfirstaidcentre.org/)

 

Herbalista Free School These courses consist of video lectures, handouts, recipes, detailed resource listings, and more for a well-rounded course. We end each lecture section with suggested “herbwork” to help you put what you’ve learned into action and even offer a few optional quizzes for folks who like them. All courses are FREE, SELF-PACED and you can ENROLL AT ANY TIME.  (https://herbalista.org/free-school/)

 

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
IFRC Learning Platform First Aid Courses (https://ifrc.csod.com/client/ifrc/default.aspx)

                * First Aid for Adults

This 4-hour self-paced course introduces the key concepts and first aid techniques needed to address emergency situations in adults, such as choking, strokes, burns, wounds, and cardiac arrest. The course also teaches protective measures and key adaptations necessary for the delivery of first aid in the context of an infectious disease outbreak, such as COVID-19.

                * First Aid for Older Adults

This 4-hour self-paced course introduces the key concepts and first aid techniques needed to address emergency situations in older people, including falls, heart attacks, and strokes. The course also teaches protective measures and key adaptations necessary for the delivery of first aid in the context of an infectious disease outbreak, such as COVID-19.

                * First Aid for Babies and Children

Through this 4-hour, self-paced course, you will be empowered to respond quickly and appropriately to the common causes of injury in babies and children. You will learn life-saving skills to treat choking, burns, wounds, and cardiac arrest in babies and children.

 

Introduction to First Aid

First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury, usually performed by a non-expert person to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed by a professional. This [50-minute] course on first aid should provide you with the basic knowledge to help someone in an emergency. (https://kayaconnect.org/)

 

Khan Academy Heath & Medicine Courses (https://www.khanacademy.org/science/health-and-medicine)

 

Leave No Trace 101 Course

The Leave No Trace 101 Course will give you a better understanding of recreation-related impacts, the 7 Principles, and how Leave No Trace skills and ethics can help protect the outdoor places we love. This course teaches the basics of Leave No Trace’s scientifically-derived and researched curriculum. It is an excellent introduction to essential skills for all people who are interested in being more environmentally aware and sustainable when they are outdoors. (https://lnt.org/get-involved/training-courses/online-courses/)

Backcountry Course

This course covers essential information for a minimally impactful trip into the backcountry. Join us and learn the skills and insights for remote outdoor areas! Students are encouraged to take the Leave No Trace 101 Course prior to enrollment.

 

Naloxone Instructions - Washington State Department of Health

(https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/drug-user-health/overdose-education-naloxone-distribution/naloxone-instructions)   Naloxone saves lives. (https://preventoverdosewa.org/)

 

Support Opioid Harm Reduction (Canadian Red Cross)

The Opioid Harm Reduction (OHR) Project aims to make sure that no one in Canada experiences an opioid poisoning emergency without assistance. We want to reduce opioid-related deaths by eliminating stigma, promoting helpful behaviors, and training on how to administer naloxone. (https://www.redcross.ca/training-and-certification/course-descriptions/opioid-harm-reduction)

 

National Center for Biomedical Research and Training (https://moodle.ncbrt.lsu.edu/)  offers a number of 'Micro Modules' that provide information on responding to conflict-related injuries:

·         BATH Assessments

·         Direct Pressure

·         Direct Threat Care - Tourniquets

·         Pressure Points

·         Wound Packing

 

National Safety Council First Aid Video Library

The National Safety Council is the expert in workplace first aid and CPR training. Guidelines detailing how rescuers should perform vital first aid and basic life support techniques are updated periodically based on medical research, and NSC is an active participant in this process. The videos you watched in class are a valuable resource to refresh your skills. In addition, you can share the videos with family and friends. (https://www.nsc.org/pages/safety-training-pages/first-aid-video-library)

 

Neighborhood Emergency Response Planning (NERP)

This training program assists homeowners, Homeowner Associations, Condominium Associations and Neighborhood Organizations to plan ahead in preparation for a disaster so that they have the necessary supplies, and are able to assist other homeowners to sustain the basic necessities, such as food and water for at least 72 hours. (https://cert.hazready.com/CourseCatalog?friendlyId=DP000029) 

·         Module 1: Neighborhood Emergency Response Plan

·         Module 2: Response and Recovery

·         Module 3: Earthquakes

·         Module 4: Home and Wildland Fires

·         Module 5: Severe Weather

·         Module 6: Floods

 

NextGenU 

NextGenU provides free health science certificate courses to learners in every country through over 1,200 institutions. NextGenU has long been recognized for their free online public health courses, but they have recently made an even bigger step – offering the first entirely FREE online MPH degree, developed in partnership with the WHO, the CDC, and many other organizations. (https://nextgenu.org/)

 

Northwest Center for Public Health Practice

The outreach arm of the University of Washington School of Public Health (UW SPH), bringing public health academia and practice communities together. (https://www.nwcphp.org/training/training-search)

 

Pan American Health Organization

All virtual courses, materials, resources, and certificates of the PAHO/WHO Virtual Campus for Public Health are 100% open and free for participants. (https://campus.paho.org/en/courses/self-learning)

 

Patient Assessment - AdventureMed

Our 30-minute Patient Assessment System course teaches you how to perform a thorough and accurate patient assessment in any environment. By completing this course, you will gain valuable knowledge and skills that can benefit both you and your community. (https://adventuremed.com/try-a-free-online-course/)

 

Principles of Psychological First Aid

Recommended for first responders and service providers who may interact with people affected by a crisis, this online course covers supportive listening, normal stress responses, positive coping mechanisms and the importance of linking people to support. (https://www.disasterready.org/principles-of-psychological-first-aid)

 

Psychological First Aid / Psychological Recovery
(https://www.samhsa.gov/resource/dbhis/psychological-first-aid-online)

Psychological First Aid (PFA) Online is 5-hour interactive online course that helps participants learn the core actions of PFA and describes ways to apply them in different post-disaster scenarios and with different survivor needs. This course also covers provider well-being before, during, and after disasters. This course is relevant for new providers who are wanting to be oriented to PFA, as well as for seasoned practitioners who want a review of the PFA concepts.

Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR) is a 5-hour interactive course designed for providers to help survivors gain skills to manage distress and cope with post-disaster stress and adversity. This course is for individuals who want to learn about using SPR, learning the goals and rationale of each core skill, delivering SPR, and supporting survivors in the aftermath of a disaster or traumatic event.

 

Psychological First Aid for Children

Psychological First Aid (PFA) for Children course will introduce you to the concepts and steps involved in providing support to children following a distressing event. It includes activities that focus on the core elements of PFA and how to apply them in a humanitarian context. (https://kayaconnect.org/)

 

SALT Mass Casualty Triage On-line Training

Mass casualty triage is a critical skill. The guideline, entitled SALT (sort, assess, life-saving interventions, treatment and/or transport) triage, was developed based on the best available science and consensus opinion. It incorporates aspects from all of the existing triage systems to create a single overarching guide for unifying the mass casualty triage process across the United States. SALT is compliant with the Model Uniform Core Criteria for Mass Casualty Triage currently contemplated as the proposed national standard for all mass casualty triage systems. (https://register3.ndlsf.org/mod/page/view.php?id=2056)

 

Seizure Recognition and First Aid Certification

The Seizure Recognition and First Aid Certification (On-Demand) course formally educates the public on the Epilepsy Foundation’s approved procedures for recognizing seizures and responding to someone having a seizure. This [90-minute] course aims to increase the knowledge, skill, and confidence in applying seizure first aid. This information is presented in an interactive eLearning format with animations, videos, and activities to enhance the learning experience. This course was designed for direct training of the public. Participants who successfully complete the course will receive a two-year certification. (https://learn.epilepsy.com/courses/seizure-first-aid-cert-ondemand)

 

South Central Public Health Training Center

Online Public Health Trainings. All trainings are offered free of charge and are delivered in short segments, allowing participants to complete the trainings at their convenience. (https://r6scphtc.tulane.edu/)

 

Stop The Bleed Courses

This Stop the Bleed Interactive Course guides individuals through the three methods of bleeding control using video demonstrations, interactive learning, and spontaneous quizzes. This Stop the Bleed Interactive Course is free to all students and can be taken multiple times to learn and refresh knowledge of the Stop the Bleed. Estimated completion time: 25-minutes. (https://www.stopthebleed.org/training/online-course/)

Stop the Bleed is on-line training from the National Center for Disaster Medicine & Public Health. No matter how rapid the arrival of professional emergency responders, bystanders will always be first on the scene. A person who is bleeding can die from blood loss within five minutes, so quickly stopping the bleeding is critical. Those nearest to someone with life threatening injuries are best positioned to provide immediate care if they are equipped with the appropriate training and resources. (https://stopthebleed.usuhs.edu/)

Center for Wilderness Safety - Stop the Bleed During this hour-long program, you'll learn all about not only how to deal with severe bleeding, but also how to handle an active shooter situation and more! (https://courses.wildsafe.org/courses/stop-the-bleed)

 

United for Human Rights

Do you know your rights? The fact is, most people can’t name more than a handful of the 30 human rights we all share. Yet these same rights guarantee our safety, our security and our very lives. This interactive course offers an introduction to human rights and outlines their development through history up to the present day. It teaches you about the world’s most important human rights documents and every article of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (https://www.humanrights.com/course/)

 

University of Hawaii at Mānoa's Pacific Emergency Management, Preparedness, and Response Information Network and Training Services (Pacific EMPRINTS) (https://iph.sdsu.edu/courses/online.php) Pacific EMPRINTS offers online courses to help healthcare professionals to better recognize and respond to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive events and to other large-scale public health emergencies.

 

University of Utah – Advanced Wilderness Life Support

AWLS is one of the most respected certificates in wilderness medicine. It is for all medical professionals, including physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, dentists, physicians’ assistants, EMT’s, paramedics, podiatrists, and veterinarians. Course material is available for free. There is a small exam fee if you want to receive a certificate. (https://www.awls.online/)

 

University of Utah – Online CERT Training

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact their area and trains them basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. CERT offers a consistent, nationwide approach to volunteer training and organization that professional responders can rely on during disaster situations, which allows them to focus on more complex tasks. Through CERT, the capabilities to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters is built and enhanced. Online CERT is developed to provide the FEMA standardized 2021 curriculum to learners across the United States, meeting the lecture portion of the CERT training requirements. (https://cert.hazready.com/CourseCatalog)

 

Universal Class (https://www.universalclass.com/) Enroll through public library to gain free access to courses. Examples of courses of interest include:

                * Anatomy & Physiology 101 – 21 hours
                * Comprehensive Medical Terminology 1&2 – 33 hours
                * Health Education 101 – 13 hours
                * Lifetime Wellness – 7 hours
                * Nutrition 101 – 7 hours
                * Nutrition 201 – 12 hours

 

USA Center for Rural Public Health Preparedness

We offer over 45 free online trainings, providing continuing education to over 8,500 individuals during the past five years. Whether you are a Community Health Worker (CHW) in another country seeking bilingual certification training, or a public health professional needing continuing education, we have a certified training option for you! (https://usacenter.tamu.edu/)

 

Vital Signs – Cousera (https://www.coursera.org/learn/vital-signs) The vital signs – heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, respiration rate, and pain – communicate important information about the physiological status of the human body. In this six-part course we explore the anatomy and physiology underlying the vital signs so that you will develop a systematic, integrated understanding of how the body functions. Approximately 13-hours

 

Whole Blood Field Transfusion Course
(https://thor.podia.com/thor-whole-blood-transfusion-course)

 

Wilderness First Aid Online - American Outdoor School

Course material is available for free. WFR certification is $99.  

61 lessons - 6 Supplemental Readings and 2 field cheat sheets - 6 How-To-Videos - 5 Quizzes to test your knowledge. (https://americanoutdoorschool.thinkific.com/courses/wilderness-first-aid-certification)

 

You Are the Help Until Help Arrives / FEMA

According to a recent National Academies of Science study, trauma is the leading cause of death for Americans under age 46. Life-threatening injuries require immediate action to prevent an injured person from dying. Those nearest to someone with life-threatening injuries are best positioned to provide first care. Life-threatening emergencies can happen fast and emergency responders aren’t always nearby. You may be able to save a life by taking simple actions immediately. You Are the Help Until Help Arrives. (https://community.fema.gov/until-help-arrives?lang=en_US)