The American Red Cross and other organizations are providing first aid and CPR training online and some of these courses may be available for free. Obtaining a certification in CPR is essential because it can be used to save the life of a person who has suffered cardiac arrest. For example, if a person stops breathing, he or she has only six minutes to live because without oxygen, irreversible brain damage could occur. Knowing how to provide rescue breathing could mean the difference between life and death if the ambulance takes longer than six minutes to arrive. Meanwhile, first aid training is also vital because it tells you what to do during a medical emergency. Thus, CPR and first aid training is vital and recommended to everyone.Aside from online courses, you can also learn CPR and first aid from local hospitals and chapters of the Red Cross. A person can obtain a CPR and first aid certification in just one afternoon. This kind of training is also provided by the University of Arizona to benefits-eligible workers in companies in Tucson. Meanwhile, CPR and first aid training courses that are available on the Internet offer some advantages over those that are provided through a classroom setting. This kind of setup is preferred by those who have busy schedules or those who are unable to find a class schedule that matches their free time. Online courses are also less expensive because computer technology is utilized and there is no need for an instructor.CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and it is a process that is done to provide a person who has suffered cardiac arrest with a chance to live, particularly if the ambulance requires more than six minutes to arrive at the scene. Moreover, brain damage may occur in as short a time as four minutes after a person has stopped breathing. Ensuring that the airway is not blocked by the tongue or some other object is the first step in the process. The next step is to provide rescue breaths that will force air into the lungs of the victim. If there is no pulse, chest compressions will have to be performed, followed by rescue breaths, then chest compressions again, until a pulse is detected.First aid is also an essential component in CPR and first aid training. This particular kind of training is vital because accidents and medical emergencies do happen. Some of the situations that require first aid are puncture wounds, nosebleeds, head injuries, fractures, electric shock, cuts, scrapes, choking, burns, bruises and bite wounds. Each situation requires unique first aid procedures, thus, first aid training will require much more time than CPR training online. For example, the treatment of a puncture wound is different from that which is provided for a cut. Applying the appropriate kind of treatment that will minimize damage is an important component of providing first aid.