Course Purpose
Uncontrolled bleeding is the leading cause of preventable death from trauma. The First Aid for Severe Trauma (FAST) program provides participants with the knowledge and skills they need to respond to an emergency involving life-threatening bleeding, including how to:
- Recognize a life-threatening bleeding emergency.
- Ensure safety and communicate effectively in an emergency.
- Control life-threatening bleeding using direct pressure, a tourniquet, or both.
The program is designed to enhance participants’ ability to take decisive, lifesaving action to assist a person with a traumatic injury and life-threatening bleeding until professional responders arrive.
Course Prerequisites
There are no program prerequisites for the First Aid for Severe Trauma course.
Course Objectives
- Exhibit the characteristics required of an American Red Cross representative and role model.
- State the importance of personal safety for the responder and for the injured person.
- Distinguish life-threatening bleeding from non-life-threatening bleeding.
- Demonstrate high-level communication skills in an emergency setting.
- Communicate essential information to a 9-1-1 dispatcher.
- Describe methods used to stop bleeding.
- Describe positions of comfort for an injured person.
- Demonstrate how to apply direct pressure and use a tourniquet to stop bleeding.
Course Length
- Instructor-Led: 2 hours, 15 minutes.
- Blended Learning: 1 hour 30 minutes eLearning and 45 minutes in-person.
Instructor
Instructors must hold a First Aid for Severe Trauma instructor certificate in order to teach the First Aid for Severe Trauma Course.
Certification
Participants who successfully complete the First Aid for Severe Trauma course will be issued a First Aid for Severe Trauma certification that is valid for two years.
Course Materials
- First Aid for Severe Trauma Ready Reference (optional)
- First Aid for Severe Trauma Handbook (optional)
Digital materials are available on the First Aid for Severe Trauma course materials page of the Red Cross Learning Center (redcrosslearningcenter.org/s/). Print materials are available for purchase on the Red Cross Store (redcross.org/store).
