Save Lives Through CPR Training: What Every Coloradan Should Know
March 23, 2026
Approximately 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the United States every year. Nearly 90% are fatal. But when a trained bystander performs CPR immediately, the victim's chance of survival doubles or triples.
In Colorado alone, over 3,700 cardiac arrests happen annually outside of a hospital setting. Denver's bystander CPR rates have historically fallen below the national average, meaning trained rescuers are needed here more than anywhere.
Learning CPR is not just a box to check for a job requirement. It is a practical skill that positions you to make the single most impactful intervention possible when someone's heart stops beating.
See available CPR classes at our Denver and Boulder training centers.
What Happens in a CPR Training Class
An AHA-certified CPR class is not a lecture. It is hands-on, skills-based training where you spend the majority of your time physically practicing on manikins.
In a typical BLS (Basic Life Support) class at CPR-Professionals, you will cover adult, child, and infant CPR with both single-rescuer and team-based scenarios. You will practice proper chest compression technique, rescue breathing, and AED use. The class runs approximately 3.5 hours and concludes with a skills test and a written exam.
For the Heartsaver CPR/AED course, the curriculum focuses on the essential skills for non-healthcare rescuers: recognizing cardiac arrest, calling for help, performing high-quality compressions, delivering rescue breaths, and using an AED. The class runs approximately 2 to 3 hours.
Both courses result in an AHA eCard certification valid for two years. All course materials are now based on the 2025 AHA guidelines.
Who Should Get CPR Trained
The direct answer is everyone. But certain groups have specific reasons to prioritize certification:
Healthcare professionals are required to hold current BLS certification as a condition of employment. Nurses, physicians, EMTs, paramedics, dentists, dental hygienists, pharmacists, and CNAs all need BLS.
Teachers and school staff in Colorado must have at least one CPR/AED trained person present during all school hours, field trips, and athletics. Athletic coaches have been required to hold current certification since 2015.
Childcare workers at licensed centers in Colorado must be CPR/first aid certified, covering adult, child, and infant CPR plus AED.
Construction and utility workers fall under OSHA regulations that require first aid and CPR training for jobsites without immediate access to medical facilities.
Parents and caregivers benefit from knowing infant and child CPR, particularly with the significant technique changes in the 2025 guidelines.
Anyone who works with the public, including office employees, gym staff, restaurant workers, and retail employees, could encounter a cardiac arrest at their workplace.
Check which type of CPR class is right for your situation.
Colorado's Investment in Cardiac Arrest Survival
Colorado established the Office of Cardiac Arrest Management in 2022, making it the first state in the country with a dedicated state office focused entirely on improving cardiac arrest outcomes. The office coordinates AED registry development, promotes bystander CPR training, and runs public awareness campaigns through savealifeco.com.
David's Law encourages AEDs in every public school and athletic complex in the state. Senate Bill 23-023 strongly encourages CPR instruction for students in grades 9 through 12 with hands-on practice components.
The infrastructure exists. The awareness campaigns are running. What is still needed is more trained individuals in every neighborhood, workplace, and family.
Why Training Matters More Than Knowledge
Reading about CPR is valuable for understanding the concepts, but it does not prepare you to perform under pressure. The physical muscle memory of compressing a chest at the right depth and rate, the procedural memory of the correct sequence, and the psychological readiness to act on a real person, all of these come from hands-on practice with feedback from a qualified instructor.
Skills decay is real. Research shows that CPR competence drops significantly within 3 to 6 months of training. This is one reason certifications are valid for two years and why regular refresher practice is recommended.
CPR-Professionals keeps class sizes small to ensure every student receives direct instructor feedback during practice. Our Denver and Boulder locations are equipped with current AHA-approved manikins and AED trainers.
View Our Class Schedule and Get Certified Today
Start Your Instructor Journey
If the idea of teaching others to save lives resonates with you, consider becoming a certified CPR instructor. CPR-Professionals offers the AHA Instructor pathway, and our team supports new instructors through their first teaching experiences.