Based on my experience, at some point in raising your children and protecting your family, you will thank your lucky stars for taking EMT. First aid and first responder level situations have easily been the most used portion of my "survival skills" over the years.<br><br>Most of us are not exposed to situations which will require outdoor skils like fire lighting or shelter building, but we all are surrounded 24/7 by potential medical situations. Here are some I can recall:<br><br> plumber next door falls off roof - lying on ground in a pool of blood (two months ago)<br> father in law mentions brief episode of chest pain after exertion (yup, it was a coronary, fortunately mild)<br> five year old daughter is riding a bike - falls off and comes up with a depressed skull fracture in the left temporal area. We were working at Canyon de Chelly National Monument at the time and medical assistance was rather marginal. (thirty years ago)<br><br>A good firiend of mine was taking a CPR course (with my encouragement) - split between two days. While she was grocery shopping after the first half of the class, a lady in the supermarket goes suddenly unconscious and collapses....(about fifteen years ago)<br><br>I took my initial first aid training years ago while in college. It was part of Phys ed, and geared toward organized athletics. I kept getting blank stares when I would ask about procedures when the ambulance was more than fifteen minutes away. Training now is much improved and more real world.<br><br>Be sure your kids get trained early and often, as well. It is a useful life skill which should be taught much more broadly than it is. Too many people rely on the crap they see on TV.