Emergency First Response (EFR) course

The Emergency First Response (EFR) course is one of the foremost international CPR and first-aid training programs. It focuses on building confidence in lay rescuers and increasing their willingness to respond when faced with a medical emergency.

While EFR is a mandatory prerequisite for the PADI Rescue Diver course and professional diving ratings, it is completely dry (no diving required) and open to anyone—divers and non-divers alike.

1. Prerequisites & Duration

• Minimum Age: None. It is open to adults and children alike, provided they can understand and perform the physical skills.

• Prerequisites: None. No prior medical knowledge or scuba certification is required.

• Duration: Typically completed in 1 day (around 5 to 8 hours, depending on group size).

2. Course Structure & Key Skills Learned

The course follows standard, internationally recognized medical guidelines for emergency care and is split into two primary segments:

Phase 1: Primary Care (CPR)

This section teaches you how to respond to life-threatening emergencies. You will learn and practice:

• Scene Assessment & Barrier Use: Ensuring your own safety before helping and using gloves/ventilation masks to prevent disease transmission.

• CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation): Chest compressions and rescue breaths for adult, child, and infant casualties.

• Airway Management: Handling choking victims.

• Serious Bleeding Management: Using pressure bandages and tourniquets.

• Shock & Spinal Injury Management: Keeping a patient stable and safe.

• AED Deployment (Optional but standard): Learning how to set up and use an Automated External Defibrillator.

Phase 2: Secondary Care (First Aid)

This section focuses on medical situations that are not immediately life-threatening but require stabilizing care until emergency medical services (EMS) arrive:

• Injury Assessment: Conducting a head-to-toe physical evaluation of an injured person.

• Illness Assessment: Identifying medical signs and symptoms.

• Bandaging & Splinting: Managing cuts, scrapes, dislocations, and bone fractures.

• Basic Medical Events: Handling burns, allergic reactions, heat exhaustion, or stings.

3. How Learning Happens

The course is built around a hands-on, relaxed learning environment. Students watch instructional videos, review a workbook, and spend the majority of their time physically practicing skills on medical mannequins and participating in simulated, real-life emergency scenarios with other classmates. A straightforward, multiple-choice quiz completes the certification.

4. Certification Validity

• An official, internationally recognized EFR certification card is issued upon completion.

• The certification is valid for 2 years (24 months), after which a short “Refresher” course is required to keep skills sharp and stay updated on the latest medical guidelines.