Feel free to share your thoughts, comments, and feedback about our program, or any questions you may have - we'd love to hear from you!
Hours:
Monday - Thursday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Text us: (718) 635-0643
Email us: info@blinkcpr.org
Follow us: @blinkcpr
Mailing Address: Blink CPR. PO Box 230592. Brooklyn, NY 11223
What is BLINK?
BLINK is training our community to act quickly in life-threatening situations, in the minutes before EMS can arrive. Those first few seconds are always the most important, and it’s our job as a community to make sure they’re utilized correctly, by calling for help while simultaneously taking action before the professional help can arrive, rather than waiting around helplessly. We teach in schools, shuls, community centers, teacher/counselor trainings, community events--you name it! In 4 short years, we've already taught over 10,000 people and over 50 lives have been saved.
Most importantly, our main community classes that we give every summer are absolutely free for all participants. Of course there are costs involved, and lots of them, but thanks to our generous sponsors, we make sure to cover all the costs so you can come train for free. There is no price tag on a life, or the saving of one.
To become a partner or make a donation towards the classes, donate here! With your help, we can accomplish our goal of training the entire community.
How does the community program work?
Our community classes are currently offered every summer, during the Three Weeks, in Brooklyn & Deal. In one 90-minute class, every participant will walk away with the ability to save a life. The room is split into groups of 10, each with its own instructor, who guide them through all the life-saving skills. Every group is equipped with a mannequin and a dummy AED (defibrillator) to practice all the hands-on they learn while being observed and critiqued by the instructor.
The classes are separate (men groups and women groups) with gender-appropriate instructors (male instructor for men groups, female instructors for women groups).
These classes are free for all participants. Completely free. Always. And we offer as many time options as we can. We’ve made it impossible to say no to learning how to save a life.
What will I be learning?
Everything. CPR for Adults, Children and Infants, as well as the use of an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) and abdominal thrusts (the Heimlich Maneuver) for a choking victim. You will know how to help a victim of cardiac arrest, drowning, choking and the like. Everyone will walk away with the ability and the confidence to act when seconds are critical.
Is this a certification course? Do I receive a card at the end?
No. The classes run under the AHA Family & Friends model, which is a NON-Certification course. Certification is not required to save a life (read more here). Our goal is to train as many people as possible to save a life; by defocusing on certification (which is not necessary unless your employer or school requires it) we've been able to train thousands upon thousands of people in just a few short years, and countless lives have been saved. If you do require a separate certification course, email us at info@blinkcpr.org to set one up.
When are these classes and where are they held?
Whenever classes are posted, all the information will be available here.
I've trained before; can I come again?
Please! We encourage everyone to come back every year. Refreshing constantly instills confidence; when seconds matter most, we want you to feel confident in what you're doing and not panic!
Do I need to sign up or can I just show up?
Ideally we’d like you to sign up in advance so we can prepare accordingly. Even if you have to sign up last minute, that’s okay—we’ll make sure to secure an additional instructor if needed.
However, if you don’t get a chance to sign up, don’t worry. Just come to the classes and we’ll take care of you.
Can I be in the same group as my friend?
Of course! Just show up with your friends and you’ll be put together in the same group!
I signed up but I need to change/cancel my appointment. What do I do?
No worries, we can help you out with that! Email us and we’ll change/cancel your slot for you and open it up to someone else!
What is CPR?
CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It is an emergency lifesaving procedure that’s done when someone's breathing or heartbeat has stopped. This may happen after an electric shock, heart attack, or drowning. CPR combines rescue breathing and chest compressions.
What does BLINK stand for?
BLINK doesn't stand for anything in particular; it represents the notion that in the BLINK of an eye, anything can happen, but in that same BLINK of an eye, YOU can act and save the life of someone in need.
What is the cost for the community classes?
The community classes we post online are absolutely free! There a tons of costs involved, but we make sure they're always free for YOU, the participant. Here at BLINK, we recognize how important saving a life is, and feel strongly about providing the training for free. So, thanks to our generous sponsors, we’re able to provide these classes at no cost at all to you.
What if I want to host my own community class, or a private session?
If you're looking for a private class, or to host your own community class in a shul, there are some costs involved, but email us and we'll work out a price that works best for you!
Setup is easy; just let us know a date, time, location and the amount of people you're expecting. We'll take care of the rest.
Class time is 90-120 minutes, and we can teach you whatever you're looking to learn, not just CPR (i.e. Epi Pens, Seizures, etc.)
Email us at info@blinkcpr.org to set a class up today!
How about trainings for my staff, teachers or counselors?
We do a TON of staff/teacher/counselor trainings, and they've all proven to be very effective in time. Those, too, will come at a cost, but we always work to lower our costs for you so your budget doesn't get hit too hard. We're an organization too; we know how it feels.
Setup is easy; just let us know a date, time, location and the amount of people you're expecting. We'll take care of the rest.
Class time is 90-120 minutes, and we can teach you whatever you're looking to learn, not just CPR (i.e. Epi Pens, Seizures, etc.)
Email us at info@blinkcpr.org to set a class up today!
What’s the minimum age to take these classes?
No one is too young to learn how to save a life. We've had children as young as 10 attend the classes!
So how does the school program work?
BLINK’s High School CPR program, right now given in a handful of schools in the Sephardic Community in Brooklyn & Deal, is given exclusively to the seniors, always during regular school hours, consists of an introductory assembly of the students (~15 minutes), immediately followed by a 90-minute informative segment, and another 90-minutes hands-on segment the following day (or a day or two later).
Wait. Explain.
STEP 1: The introductory speech is all about the "inspiration followed by action” formula, which BLINK believes is the best way for students to get the most out of the classes. An inspirational speaker is brought in to speak to the students about the importance of CPR and how minutes really do make the difference in a person’s life. The speaker is usually a fellow community member with Hatzalah affiliation, or first-hand experience of a CPR scenario. It’s these additional 15-20 minutes that we believe transforms the CPR training from a few hours of classes into a life-changing experience. Through one short but powerful speech, the students are impassioned to take everything out of the classes, understanding that they can truly make a difference in the life of a loved one.
STEP 2: Immediately following the speech is 1.5 hours of learning CPR/AED with Robby Lederman, BLINK’s lead instructor. The class is taught through lecture, demonstration and video segments. The end of the class is reserved for an extremely engaging Q&A, where the students can ask away.
STEP 3: The second and final class is 1.5 hours of hands on learning CPR/AED experience, where the students are split into small groups and get to practice on the mannequins and handle an AED. The students are observed throughout by their instructor, and take a short quiz at the end, testing them on their knowledge of the CPR techniques.
Thereafter, the observations and tests are graded, and the students are certified (2-year certification) through the American Heart Association in Heartsaver AED (Adult, Child and Infant CPR/AED (Automated External Defibrillator) and the Heimlich Maneuver for a choking victim). Thank G-d, every student so far has passed with flying colors.
High school seniors are encouraged to take our community classes as often as necessary to refresh their memory and life-saving skills.
If you'd like to get your high school on board, contact us at info@blinkcpr.org