For three times over four years, I have been a customer of Start the Heart. Every two years, I renew my Basic Life Support (BLS) Provider certification here. Other classes include ACLS, PALS, bloodborne-airborne pathogens, and pet emergency training. I used Start the Heart's website to search and register for a 3-hour in-person class. The owners, Brenda and Scott, emailed reminders about the date, time (to show up 15 minutes early, because people who arrive to class late must reschedule), location (in the back of the building), and requirements such as bringing a paper and pen. The first two classes were taught by Brenda and Scott, and my most recent class was taught by their employee Kelly. All three possessed a great amount of knowledge about CPR for adults, children, and infants; how to use automatic and manual AEDs; and how to perform abdominal thrusts and back slaps for people who are choking. The students watched videos, practiced on mannequins, and answered questions orally. At the end, we took a written test. If we passed, which I think that everyone did, then the American Heart Association emailed us our BLS cards. The cost for the entire class in 2025 was $75. read more

Start the Heart - Part of classroom - CPR Classes Near Me - Wexford, Pennsylvania

I highly recommend Start the Heart. The owners, who are also the instructors, provide an excellent classroom experience, and it was by far THE BEST Infant/Child/Adult CPR/First Aid class I've ever taken in my entire life! I took the class on April 28, 2024, and I was extremely satisfied with the educational experience that Brenda and Scott provided. The class was extremely well organized, informative, and thorough, including hands-on training. From the time I first called to schedule the class, Brenda put my mind at ease. And during the class, Brenda and Scott were patient and understanding while answering students' questions. They also took all the necessary precautions in cleaning and disinfecting all of the equipment that was being used. I was extremely pleased with this most wonderful course, and I think you will be, too. And as an added bonus, you receive your CPR & First Aid certification card on the same day before you leave. If you're looking for a great CPR/First Aid class, look no further! This one is by far the best in the greater Pittsburgh area IMHO. read more

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This was my third BLS class, and it went pretty well. My instructor was Kelly and she was very informative while keeping an entertaining setting. Class went by smoothly and was a great experience. We even ended a little early too. read more

Such a great course! Brenda and Scott are a fabulous team and are super knowledgable about they are teaching. They made the class fun all while still learning! I'll definitely be back in the future! Thank you again! read more

Great course! Scott and Brenda make the time go by fast and are excellent teachers! Very glad I came here.

The best place for certifications! Scott & Brenda are extremely efficient and knowledgeable about the class topic. You can tell they love teaching these classes and are very practiced in course education. Every topic was clearly and concisely explained. I was greatly surprised at how organized everything was. Each topic flowed right into the next without Scott & Brenda stopping for a second! They even had extra pens/paper, mints, and chocolate (two kinds might I add!!) They focused a lot on group work and how to deal with many real life situations. I wasn't looking forward to spending my Saturday morning at this class, but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it here! I highly, highly recommend Start the Heart to every person looking for a certification! This class made me feel much more confident in my BLS training even though I took a semester long EMT class in college. read more

Hands down, the best CPR training course I have ever attended. Very detailed an informative. Their style of training is such that they not only train you for one on one, but they really delve into group training, and getting comfortable with multiple roles and responsibilities. They mimic real life scenarios with multiple people so you feel more at ease if/ when a situation arises. I cannot recommend Scott and Brenda front Start The Heart enough. I hope I have the pleasure of attending another of their clases in the future. read more

Ryan gave my BLS - CPR & AED class and he was the best instructor I've ever had. He was very knowledgeable, helpful, kind, and did not make any of us feel embarrassed while learning! The class was just about 3 hours long but felt so much quicker because of the way he taught the class. I will definitely be returning to Start the Heart in 2 years for my renewal. read more

I've had great experiences over the years with Start the Heart. I leave feeling like I've really gained the knowledge I need to help those in need should the moment ever arise. I recommend this place to all of my friends and co-workers. read more

I'm a nurse practitioner who has been taking BLS for health care providers for over 15 years. This class is great. They are so organized and get through the material in a clear and concise way. The class space and equipment is clean and updated. My current job is outside the hospital setting, so I had to find my own class. I'll definitely be back in 2 years! Thank you Brenda & Scott, read more

Of the many courses I've done over the past decade, this one was the best! The team dynamics practice was so new for me and very helpful for practical situations. Loved the feedback from the instructors and from the dummies. I will be back in two years for re-certification! read more

I just got my CPR/AED certification through Start The Heart. The instructors are friendly, knowledgable, and create a very comfortable atmosphere. The facility was very clean. The mannequins were sanitized, and shields were provided. They are very diligent and professional and still make the class enjoyable. I highly recommend learning CPR here. read more

Excellent!!! Start the Heart exceeded my expectations in every way! I second everything that Renascent said except about the GPS as I didn't use one. I feel so much more confident about doing CPR on one of my patients or in public now than when I took the same BLS for Healthcare Providers course when I worked for a huge local hospital system provided by their Nurse Educators. read more

This was my first cpr bls class and it was great. Scott and Brenda were very knowledgeable and funny and made class very entertaining. I'll definitely be going back here to renew!! read more

The best CPR class I ever attended. Very hands on and real life scenarios. The instructors are very knowledgeable and so kind.

Hands down the best CPR experience I've ever had. Scott and Brenda were professional, informative and entertaining. It is clear that they both truly care about the importance of CPR and have a passion for sharing their knowledge. I never was bored the entire time I was there and definitely walked out of there feeling much more confident with my CPR skills. I would highly recommend Start the Heart to anyone looking for BLS, ACLS or other certifications. read more

I have been contracting with Start the Heart, LLC since the first class they delivered for our school, many years ago. After hearing the glowing remarks from the participants about how thorough the instructors are, how enjoyable the class was and that they had never had such good CPR classes before, I decided to give all of our school's business to them. Since that time, they have conducted countless courses (for those who need BLS, or CPR with First Aid, etc.) on site (with individuals occasionally going to their storefront where they also conduct classes). They have also assisted me in arranging for the training of our entire staff in extra large classes, all the while bringing and setting up their own equipment, including mats, projection equipment, more manikins than I had ever seen in one place, an efficient way to clean them, easy registration and card access, plus their signature dark chocolate hearts for participants. I would add that while being extremely professional in every aspect of their course delivery, they are also the nicest people you'd ever want to meet. I recommend them to any individual or group, regardless of size, for all of their courses. A more dedicated company to sharing the message of being well prepared in emergencies does not exist. You won't be sorry! read more

I don't know anything about their facilities or practices and even though I knew about their no refund policy prior to signing up for the BLS class, I thought they could make an exception given the circumstances. I had a family member pass away and had to go out of town for the funeral when I was supposed to take my class. I would have rescheduled except that I am moving the following week out of state for my job. I asked if they could please make an exception under these circumstances and I could have a refund given that the class is already expensive being $55, more than I've ever paid. However, they said to "be fair to everyone" there are NO REFUNDS (in bold italicized letters). A. Not fair to me, so not everyone and B. Thank you for making me feel like I didn't read the refund policy in the first place. Not happy with this company and their customer service. read more