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First Aid + CPR Certification in Wilkes-Barre, PA

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Workplace Emergency Training

First Aid CPR Certification

The CORE Academy is an American Red Cross Licensed Training Provider (LTP) offering combined First Aid, CPR, and AED certification in Wilkes-Barre, PA. The combined class covers first aid response, CPR for adult, child, and infant, and AED use. This is often the most efficient option for workplace teams and individuals who need broad emergency response coverage without splitting training into two separate classes.

  • First Aid, CPR, AED Training
  • How To Use an AED
  • Adult and Infant CPR
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Workplace Emergency Training

Upcoming First Aid, CPR & AED Training Dates

Next session: Tuesday, September 15, 2026 · $100

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Who Is This Certification For?

Groups | CPR, First Aid & AED

This class is the right fit for individuals whose employer or program might ask for broad emergency response training
  • Workplace teams
  • School staff
  • Childcare providers
  • Coaches and camp leaders
  • Community program staff
If your role calls for both first aid and CPR readiness, the combined class is the practical option. We do not run a First Aid-only or CPR-only class, so the combined class is the option for either need. And if your work environment is clinical or patient-care, BLS is the credential your employer expects.
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What the Class Covers

The combined session delivers two American Red Cross certifications inside one training day: First Aid response and CPR with AED use. Together they cover the broadest range of non-clinical emergencies a workplace, school, or community team is likely to face, from a cut or burn to a sudden cardiac event.
 

First Aid component

First Aid covers the foundational instruction required for the certification: Before Giving Care (assessing a scene safely, calling for help, deciding when to act), Bloodborne Pathogens (protecting yourself and the person you are helping while providing care), and Emergency Care Situations including heart attacks, anaphylaxis, and heat- and cold-related emergencies. Wound care closes out the First Aid portion so participants leave able to handle cuts, bleeding, and basic injury response confidently. For workplace teams, this aligns closely with the kind of incident response many employers want their staff equipped to handle before EMS arrives.
 

CPR component

Coverage includes adult, child, and infant response, including how compression depth, rate, and the ratio of compressions to rescue breaths adjust for age and body size. CPR is paired with AED use throughout because the two go together in any real cardiac emergency: chest compressions buy time, the AED restores rhythm. Participants practice the integrated response, not the two skills in isolation.
 

AED component

AED awareness covers when to use one, how to apply pads safely, and what the device actually does during a real cardiac event. Hands-on practice uses Zoll AED Plus training units, the same model deployed in many Northeast Pennsylvania workplaces, schools, gyms, and public spaces. By using the same equipment most participants will encounter at work, the muscle memory built in class transfers directly to the real environment.
 

Hands-on skills practice

The in-person portion is where the certification gets earned. Skills are practiced on real training equipment, not just discussed. By the end of class, participants should be able to demonstrate confident response to a cardiac event, a choking emergency, a serious wound, and a sudden illness, in the same way they would in a real situation. This is the part of the class that separates “I read about it” from “I can do it under pressure.”
 
The combined session gives participants broad emergency response confidence in one certification rather than across two.

How This Certification Works: Two Steps

The CORE Academy delivers this certification through the American Red Cross blended learning format. There are two required steps and both must be completed to earn your certification.

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STEP 1

Complete the American Red Cross online course on your own time. After registration, you receive access to the American Red Cross online learning module – a self-paced course covering the theory behind First Aid response, CPR, and AED use. You work through it at home or wherever is convenient, before your scheduled in-person session. This typically takes about 2 to 3 hours. You must complete the online module before attending the in-person session.
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A person performs CPR chest compressions during a training session at The CORE Academy in Wilkes-Barre, PA

STEP 2

Attend the in-person skills session at The CORE Academy in Wilkes-Barre. The in-person session is where both certifications are earned. You practice every skill – wound care, choking response, CPR compressions, AED use – on real training equipment with a certified Red Cross instructor coaching and correcting throughout. You demonstrate the skills, the instructor signs off on your competency, and your digital certificates are issued.

Your certifications are valid for 2 years from the course completion date. Your digital American Red Cross certificates arrive by email once you pass both the online module and the in-person skills competency test.
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Why Combined Makes More Sense Than Separate Classes
For workplace teams, the combined class typically saves time and cost compared to scheduling two separate certifications. Staff complete training in one session and receive the broader credential rather than running back for a second class later. For individuals, the combined option covers more situations a non-clinical worker is likely to encounter. If your employer or program names only one component, call us at (570) 301-3316 first. The combined Red Cross credential covers all three and in our experience satisfies almost every requirement written for one of them.
 

Compared to First Aid Only, CPR Only, and BLS

Picking the right certification comes down to matching it to your role and to what your employer or program is asking for. Here is how the four options compare. Combined First Aid + CPR + AED is the broadest non-clinical option in a single session. It is the right choice when a role calls for both injury response and cardiac response, which is most workplace, school, childcare, and community program situations. Most employers asking for “First Aid and CPR” mean this combined credential.
 

Standalone First Aid

Covers injury and sudden illness response only. It is the right choice when an employer specifically requires only First Aid, or when CPR is already current and only the First Aid component needs renewal. Less common than the combined class.
 

Standalone CPR and AED

Cardiac and breathing emergency response only. It is the right choice for roles where the employer specifically requires only CPR, or when First Aid is already current and only the CPR component needs renewal. Common for fitness staff, coaches, and some childcare positions where CPR is the explicit requirement.
 
BLS (Basic Life Support) is the advanced certification built for clinical and patient-care settings. It is the right choice for nurses, nursing students, medical assistants, EMS roles, and other healthcare professionals. The wording on your employer’s or school’s requirement is the deciding factor: if it specifies “BLS” or “Basic Life Support,” take BLS, not the combined non-clinical class. When in doubt, the simplest rule applies: match the exact wording of the requirement, not the spirit of it.
 

Why Take Combined Training Locally

The CORE Academy is based in Wilkes-Barre. For participants across Northeast Pennsylvania, including the Wyoming Valley, Scranton, and surrounding communities, a local training option means less travel, easier scheduling, and a regional resource you can reach when questions come up before or after class.

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Training A Team

For organizations that need multiple staff certified together, we run group First Aid + CPR certifications at your location or in our Wilkes-Barre training space. Group certification often happens as part of a broader training partnership that includes leadership development, behavioral management, or other workplace training. Talk to us about what your team needs.

Why The CORE Academy

We are an American Red Cross Licensed Training Provider (LTP), which means we are independently licensed to teach and certify. Classes are hands-on, paced for adult learners, and built around real situations.
 
Hands-on practice with Zoll AED Plus units. Instructors who answer questions rather than rush the room. You leave with the skill, not just the certificate.

Ready to Register?

Browse upcoming class dates and register for the next session. For team training, get in touch about a group certification.

Tuesday, September 15, 2026 · 1:00pm to 5:00pm · $100
Tuesday, September 29, 2026 · 1:00pm to 5:00pm · $100
Monday, October 26, 2026 · 1:00pm to 5:00pm · $100
Wednesday, October 28, 2026 · 1:00pm to 5:00pm · $100

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Training Philosophy

CORE stands for Creating Opportunities for Reflection & Education. The reflection part shows up in how we teach. We want you to understand why a step matters, not just how to do it. Learn more about The CORE Academy and our team, or read the broader guide on combined First Aid and CPR certification.
 

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. The CORE Academy is an American Red Cross Licensed Training Provider (LTP). The certification issued is an American Red Cross credential, valid for 2 years from your completion date.

First aid response for common injuries and illness, CPR for adult/child/infant, and AED use. Hands-on skill practice runs throughout.

Workplace teams, school staff, childcare providers, camp and community program staff, and individuals whose employer or program asks for broad emergency response training.

BLS is more advanced and is designed for clinical and patient-care environments. It includes team-based response techniques in addition to the core CPR and AED instruction.

Yes. Group First Aid + CPR certifications can be delivered at your location or in our Wilkes-Barre training space. Group classes often run as part of broader workplace training engagements.

The CORE Academy Workplace Training

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CPR training class in progress at The CORE Academy in Wilkes-Barre, PA
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The CORE Academy delivers professional workplace training, certifications, and organizational consulting across Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania. American Red Cross Licensed Training Provider · PQAS Approved Organization · PA Dept. of Education Act 48 Approved Provider.

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