Firefighter Instructors with real world experience that bring the classroom to you.
CPR, AED, First Aid, and Water Safety Training and Certification in Austin, Texas, and the surrounding Central Texas areas.
Keywords: CPR, AED, first aid, defibrillator, cardio, pulmonary, resuscitation, training, rescue, water safety, firefighter, certification, breathing, C.P.R., resources, austin, texas
Interview Q&A
How long have you been in business?
The business started in 1990 as a single person operation. It has now grown to six instructors and an office staff.
What is your primary product or service?
We offer CPR, AED and First Aid instruction. We do seasonal water safety training and have a complete product line of AEDs (Automated defibrillators)
How did you first become interested in your line of business? (if owner) - What is your background? (If owner or store manager)
I began volunteering as a medical Explorer scout at my local hospital emergency room when I was 14 years old. I did that through high school and by graduation I was an employee in the ER. I became an EMT at 18 and was asked to become a CPR instructor. I worked in the EMS field through my teens and twenties and in 1987 I joined the Fire Dept in Austin.
How do you differentiate yourself from other businesses in your category and area?
There are a number of qualified CPR training groups in the area and they do a good job (We do know of one that does not). Our BIG difference is experience. Our trainers actually DO CPR in the real world. As firefighters we are usually the first on-scene to provide lifesaving care. That real world knowledge is shared in the classroom. Our staff has over 100 years combined experience in the emergency field.
How many locations do you have and do you have plans to expand?
We are currently based in Austin and we do have a group of firefighters that are starting up a training program in Houston. We have expanded into AED sales the past few years and one of our associated instructors specializes in Boy Scout wilderness first aid training.
Provide detailed directions to your location
We don't teach at a set location. We bring the classroom to the client. Individuals are invited to come to scheduled classes that are posted on the class calendar page of the web site.
What type of payments do you accept?
We accept money orders, local checks with a vaild ID and "In God we trust" cash. Corporate clients can pay with a credit card but we are unable to process credit card or debit card payments from individuals.
Which areas do you service?
We serve the Central Texas area and travel as far south as San Antonio and as far north as Waco.
Who owns your company or runs daily operations?
CPR Resources is a corporation that was founded by Mark Gustafson in 1990. He is retired from the Austin Fire Dept with 30 years of service to the city. He currently serves as Program Director and Instructor Trainer. The daily operations are handled by the various instructors and an office staff of two.
What are your hours of operation?
We have no "set" hours but the office is usually staffed Monday through Friday.
What is the best compliment anyone can give you?
The best compliment we (as a group) receive is for someone to recommend our classes to others. The best compliment I have ever received personally came from an elderly lady who was nervous at the beginning of the class. She told me how she had taken CPR classes for years and hated every one of them. At the end of the class she said "For the first time ever I actually feel that I could do this and make a difference"
What is your favorite quote or Bible verse?
John 3:16 is the best verse in the Bible in our opinion because it says it all.