As we move ever closer to the holiday season, it’s time to think about what you’re going to give as gifts to friends and family. Here’s an idea to add to the typical list of presents or charitable donations on behalf of the recipient: consider giving the gift of training. It’s a gift that will keep on giving all year long.

CPR TRAINING — A GIFT OF LIFE

Empowering someone to save a life could be the greatest gift you could give, especially if the recipient uses those skills to save someone dear to them. As we pointed out in a blog post last month, a recent study shows that:

“CPR performed before EMS arrival was associated with a 30-day survival rate after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest that was more than twice as high as that associated with no CPR before EMS arrival.”

Sudden cardiac arrest, or SCA, can occur without warning to anyone, at any time. It is one of the leading causes of death among adults in the United States. Without early recognition and care from a bystander, the person will not survive.

Learning CPR is one of those things that we all know is good to do but isn’t really top of mind for most people. It’s very much a “yes, I should do that someday” kind of thing. Why not make it easy and give the gift of a training class? A full emergency care class or simply a compression-only CPR awareness course; the choice is yours.

Special shout-out to our ASHI and MEDIC First Aid instructor blog readers: Take care of several gifts on your list by offering a free HOPE class to your friends and family. Learn more about this awareness-only course here. Gather everyone together one afternoon or evening and help them learn to make a lifesaving difference.

SAFETY TRAINING — IT’S NOT JUST FOR WORKPLACE CONCERNS

Our safety professional readers know just how extensive workplace safety training can be to cover all the topics your workers are required to know. But, in the spirit of holiday giving, what about adding just one training class that your workers can use outside the workplace as well? A distracted driving course reminds everyone to “hang up and drive” every time they are behind the wheel. A heath and wellness topic or a nutritious eating course puts these easily forgotten best practices back on our personal radar and might help create some new healthy habits. If many of your employees are hunters, why not offer a hunting safety course during your next monthly safety meeting?

You don’t have to be a safety pro to give the gift of safety training, though: What about a safety course directly related to a loved one’s hobby? Gifting a boating safety course or a refresher course on winter weather driving could be just the thing for your outdoorsy friend, and the best practices he or she learns will help keep them safe for years to come. Or perhaps a wilderness emergency care course is perfect for your adventurous family member who enjoys spending time in remote locations where emergency services aren’t easily available.

With a gift of training, you’ve eliminated the hassle of finding a class and helped someone tick an “I’ve been meaning to do that!” task off their to-do list. And your gift will go from thoughtful to priceless should the recipient ever need to use those skills during an emergency.

What a wonderful gift that would be.