A first responder wraps a bandage around another person's injured hand

CPR/AED/first aid certification

Iowa State offers employees, students, and groups training and certification through a contracted vendor.

Our AED program

Iowa State University is committed to the health and safety of its students, faculty, staff, and visitors. The Automated External Defibrillator (AED) program for this campus provides a policy and procedures that will:

  • Implement enhanced life safety-response measures.
  • Meet regulatory compliance.
  • Provide continuity and consistency across campus in AED installation, maintenance, and use.
  • Establish AED-user training requirements.

The goal of an AED program is to increase the rate of survival of people who experience sudden cardiac arrests. AED programs are designed to provide equipment and training as an important means for providing enhanced life safety response measures. AEDs make it possible for lay responders to administer defibrillation prior to the arrival of emergency medical services (EMS).

If you are interested in purchasing an AED for your building, department, or unit, please contact the AED Program Coordinator at (515) 294-5359.

First aid kits

It is recommended that all university departments maintain adequate first aid kits in convenient and accessible locations. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Standard 29 CFR 1910.151 Appendix A states that first aid kits that meet American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standard Z308.1 must be readily available. In addition, first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training is encouraged for employees. 

Complete kits and refills are available at Iowa State University Central Stores (SKU 2003107), Chemistry Stores (#2240250), or through CyBuy. Individual items should be replenished as they become depleted or expired.

Helpful resources

Administer immediate first aid to injured or exposed personnel using the following steps:

  1. Move injured personnel only if necessary to prevent their exposure to further harm.
  2. For spills affecting small portions of skin, immediately flush with flowing water for at least 15 minutes.  If no visible burn exists, wash with warm water and soap, removing any jewelry to facilitate proper decontamination.
  3. For spills on clothes or large areas of skin, quickly initiate showering while removing all contaminated clothing, shoes, and jewelry.  It may be necessary to cut the clothes off in some instances to prevent contamination of the eyes. 
  4. Contaminated clothes should be laundered when possible (at work, separate from other clothing, or use a contracted laundering service), decontaminated or discarded. Never take contaminated clothing home.
  5. Do not use creams, lotions, or salves except to neutralize the spilled material (e.g., calcium gluconate gel for hydrofluoric acid exposure and polyethylene glycol [PEG 300] for phenol exposure).
  6. For splashes into the eyes, immediately irrigate the eyes at an eyewash station for at least 15 minutes. Hold the eyelids away from the eyeball, moving the eye in all directions to wash thoroughly behind the eyelids.
  7. If necessary administer artificial respiration, but only if CPR trained.

In all cases, the exposed or injured person must seek medical attention:

  1. Call 911 for medical emergencies.
  2. Relevant safety information, such as an SDS, should accompany the person.
  3. Notify the injured person's supervisor as soon as possible.
  4. The supervisor is responsible for completing an incident report through the ISU Incident Portal as required by the Occupational Medicine Guidelines (PDF).