DAN Basic Life Support: CPR & First Aid

Emergencies do not wait for professionals to arrive. When something goes wrong, the first few minutes matter, and the person who makes the biggest difference may simply be the one who is already there.

The DAN Basic Life Support: CPR & First Aid course teaches you to recognize emergencies, provide CPR, use an AED, manage injuries, and deliver appropriate first aid until professional medical care takes over.

And despite the DAN logo on the certification card, this is not just a diving course. CPR works in a parking lot. An AED works in an airport. Bleeding control matters on a boat, at home, or anywhere else somebody is having a spectacularly bad day.

At a Glance

Course: DAN Basic Life Support: CPR & First Aid
Prerequisites: None. No diving certification or previous medical training required
Format: Self-paced DAN eLearning plus instructor-led, hands-on training
In-Person Training: Approximately 4 hours
Certification: DAN BLS: CPR & First Aid Provider, valid for 2 years
Class Size: Private or small-group instruction
Training Area: Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, DC
Equipment: Training manikins, AED trainers, and first-aid supplies provided

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What Will You Learn?

DAN Basic Life Support combines essential life-support techniques with practical first-aid skills. You’ll learn how to assess an emergency, protect yourself, and provide useful care while professional help is on the way.

Topics and practical skills include:

Scene safety, personal protective equipment, and initial patient assessment
Adult, child, and infant CPR, including one- and two-rescuer techniques
Automated External Defibrillator (AED) use
Recognizing and managing choking and airway obstruction
Recovery positioning and recognizing shock
Controlling severe bleeding, including tourniquets and wound packing
Bandaging, basic wound care, and splinting
Primary and secondary patient assessments and gathering a patient history
Recognizing possible stroke using F-A-S-T
Responding to common medical emergencies, including severe allergic reactions and opioid overdose
Burns, temperature-related injuries, and safe patient movement

The goal is not to memorize a collection of procedures. It is to recognize what is happening, understand your priorities, and practice the skills until you are comfortable using them.

How the Course Works

Step 1: Complete DAN eLearning

Start with the online knowledge-development portion through DAN eLearning. Work through the material at your own pace before attending your in-person skills session.

You’ll learn the principles behind CPR and first aid, how to recognize emergencies, and how to make decisions about providing care.

Step 2: Practice the Skills in Person

Then we get off the computer.

You’ll practice CPR on training manikins, use AED trainers, work with first-aid equipment, and respond to realistic scenarios. We’ll correct problems, repeat skills when necessary, and discuss why we’re doing what we’re doing.

I teach privately and in small groups because emergency training should build actual confidence, not just produce another certification card.

Nobody learns CPR just by clicking through slides.

Who Should Take This Course?

Pretty much anybody who would rather be useful than helpless when an emergency happens.

That includes recreational divers, dive professionals, boat crews, trip leaders, parents, caregivers, coaches, outdoor leaders, and anyone who wants practical emergency-response skills.

You do not need to be a diver, and you do not need any previous medical training.

Why This Matters for Divers

We spend a lot of time practicing how to respond when something goes wrong underwater. Alternate air sources, emergency ascents, lost-buddy procedures, and all the other skills we hope never to use.

But what happens after the injured diver reaches the surface?

Somebody still has to assess them. Somebody may need to start CPR, retrieve an AED, control bleeding, or help manage the situation while EMS is on the way.

That somebody does not have to be a dive professional. It might simply be the person standing closest who took the time to learn what to do.

Where Can DAN BLS Take You Next?

Basic Life Support is a useful foundation on its own, and it also meets the CPR prerequisite for DAN Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries.

If you already know you want CPR, first aid, emergency oxygen, neurological assessment, and hazardous marine life injury training, consider DAN Diving First Aid (DFA). That comprehensive program combines these subjects without requiring you to complete BLS and Emergency Oxygen separately first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be scuba certified?

No. DAN Basic Life Support is open to everyone, including non-divers. The skills apply to emergencies at home, at work, while traveling, and around the water.

Do I need previous CPR or first-aid training?

No previous training is required. This is a foundation-level course suitable for first-time students as well as people refreshing previously learned skills.

Can I complete the entire course online?

No. The knowledge-development portion is completed through DAN eLearning, but you must also attend an instructor-led, hands-on skills session to complete the course.

How long does the training take?

The in-person portion typically takes approximately four hours. Complete the self-paced DAN eLearning beforehand. Actual training time may vary with class size and student needs.

Will I receive a certification?

Yes. After successfully completing the required eLearning and practical skills, you’ll receive a DAN Basic Life Support: CPR & First Aid Provider certification, valid for two years.

Can I arrange private or group training?

Absolutely. Dive With Frank offers private and small-group instruction with flexible scheduling. If you have a family, dive team, boat crew, or other group interested in training, contact me to discuss arrangements.