Training For Life

What Training For Life does

Training For Life, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded on October 4, 2001, in direct response to the September 11th attacks, and headquartered at 11 Hanover Square in New York City. Operating as an authorized American Heart Association (AHA) Community Training Center since 2005, the organization delivers AHA-credentialed training in Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Heartsaver CPR/AED, Heartsaver First Aid, and Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid CPR AED, along with non-credential Family & Friends CPR, K-12 programs, and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training. The organization's stated mission is to address the roughly 300,000 annual U.S. deaths from sudden cardiac arrest and the <5% national out-of-hospital SCA survival rate by scaling CPR, AED, and First Aid preparedness across healthcare professionals, lay responders, organizations, schools, and underserved communities.

The core technical offering combines traditional classroom instruction with AHA's HeartCode blended learning, which pairs an adaptive eLearning platform (personalizing learning paths based on student performance and self-reported confidence) with in-person hands-on skills sessions evaluated by AHA-certified instructors. Beyond training, Training For Life operates the LifeShop e-commerce storefront selling 176+ products including AHA student manuals, eLearning course keys, Philips OnSite and FRx AED units, Prestan and Laerdal manikins, training supplies, and eCards. The organization also provides Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) program implementation, physician oversight, EMS registration, AED maintenance tracking, HeartSafe Community/Facility designation, Onsite AED Surveys, and Simulated Emergencies, leveraging its status as a Philips Medical Systems Gold Distributor since 2020.

The business model blends professional services revenue (course fees for classroom, blended learning, and skills-session-only formats), hardware sales (AED units and training materials through LifeShop), and managed-services revenue (PAD program oversight, HeartSafe certification, instructor affiliation/transfer services for AHA, American Red Cross, and National Safety Council instructors). Pricing is unit-based and quote-based for group training, with visible product pricing ranging from $4.65 for a Heartsaver workbook to $2,099 for a Philips FRx AED unit. Go-to-market combines scheduled open-enrollment courses via Enrollware registration, enterprise field sales for organizational group training, an e-commerce storefront, and direct phone/email inquiries. Customer segments include healthcare professionals requiring mandatory AHA credentials, general public and lay responders, organizations seeking workplace compliance and Heartsafe environments, and K-12 schools and childcare providers. The organization is founder-led by Scott Caruthers, a Service Disabled U.S. Navy veteran (Desert Shield/Storm) and 9/11 REMSCO responder, with no disclosed institutional investors, no parent company, and headcount of 1–10 employees.

Name

Training For Life

Legal name

Training For Life, Inc.

Website

https://trainingforlife.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Training For Life is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and authorized American Heart Association Training Center delivering AHA-credentialed BLS, ACLS, PALS, and Heartsaver CPR/AED/First Aid courses, plus AED sales and PAD program oversight, to healthcare professionals, lay responders, organizations, and schools in the United States and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Emergency Preparedness and Healthcare Certification Training

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAFANAL

EMS Education, Training & Simulation Centers

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Healthcare Providers & Systems/Emergency Medical Services

SECONDARYBPAKAOAJ

Emergency Response, First Aid/CPR/AED & Incident Management Training

Business & Public Services/Security & Investigations Services/Training & Certification for Security Personnel

SECONDARYEDAOAMAD

Emergency Management, Disaster Response & Incident Command Training

Education/Vocational, Technical & Trade Education/Protective Services & Public Safety Training

Keywords

• CPR training services
• First aid certification
• AED program management
• Healthcare certification courses
• Emergency preparedness training

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Training Courses: American Heart Association credentialed courses including BLS, ACLS, PALS, and Heartsaver programs. Revenue generated from course fees for classroom, blended learning (eLearning + skills session), and skills session only formats.
2. Product Sales (LifeShop): E-commerce sales of AHA materials, manikins, AEDs and accessories, training supplies, student manuals, eCards, and eLearning licenses. Sells 176+ products across multiple categories including Philips AEDs, Prestan manikins, and course materials.
3. AED Program Services: AED sales (Philips Medical Systems Gold Distributor), PAD program implementation, ongoing program oversight, and maintenance services for HeartSafe community and facility certifications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Training For Life delivers American Heart Association-credentialed emergency preparedness training courses (BLS, ACLS, PALS, Heartsaver CPR/AED, Heartsaver First Aid, Pediatric First Aid, Family & Friends CPR, and K-12 programs) through classroom and blended learning formats. Complementing the training, the organization sells AHA training materials, Philips AED units and accessories, and manikins through its LifeShop e-commerce store, and provides AED program oversight, PAD implementation, HeartSafe community/facility certification, and instructor affiliation services for more than 100 AHA instructors nationwide.

Product overview

Training For Life is a non-profit 501c3 organization offering American Heart Association (AHA)-credentialed training programs and AED services. The core offering consists of instructor-led and blended learning courses across two main categories: (1) Healthcare Professional courses — Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), each available as traditional classroom or blended learning (eLearning via HeartCode platforms + hands-on skills session); and (2) Lay Responder courses — Heartsaver CPR/AED, Heartsaver First Aid, Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid CPR AED, Family & Friends CPR (non-credential), and K-12 school programs. Supporting the training business, Training For Life operates a LifeShop eCommerce storefront selling AHA materials, manikins (Prestan, Laerdal), Philips AED units and accessories, and eLearning course keys. Additional services include AED sales and Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) program oversight, the HeartSafe Community/Facility designation program, community outreach (HeartSafe Heroes AED donations, HeartSafe Nations international programs), CERT training, and instructor affiliation/transfer services for AHA, American Red Cross, and National Safety Council instructors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Heartsafe Communities: A designation for facilities, communities, buildings that have established proper Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) programs with AED placement, trained responders in CPR/AED, and compliance with local requirements.
• Heartsafe Heroes
• Heartsafe Nations

Products and services

• Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Professionals AHA-certified training course for healthcare professionals covering high-quality CPR for adults, children, and infants, AED use, bag-valve mask techniques, and two-rescuer resuscitation. Offered as traditional classroom or blended learning (HeartCode BLS online plus hands-on skills session); two-year AHA credential.
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) for Healthcare Professionals AHA-certified advanced course for healthcare professionals who direct or manage cardiopulmonary arrest or cardiovascular emergencies, covering team dynamics, airway management, pharmacology, arrest rhythms, and post-cardiac arrest care. Available as classroom or blended learning (HeartCode ACLS online plus skills session).
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) for Healthcare Professionals AHA-certified advanced course for healthcare providers responding to pediatric emergencies, covering systematic assessment, high-quality child and infant CPR, respiratory distress differentiation, shock treatment, and team dynamics. Offered as classroom or blended learning (HeartCode PALS online plus skills session).
• Heartsaver CPR/AED AHA-credentialed course for lay responders covering adult and child CPR, AED use, and choking relief. Credential valid for two years. Offered as classroom or blended learning with optional infant module.
• Heartsaver First Aid AHA-credentialed first aid course for lay responders covering medical emergencies, injuries, environmental hazards, and first aid kit basics. Credential valid for two years.
• Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid CPR AED AHA-credentialed course for childcare workers and responders covering pediatric injuries, environmental emergencies, allergic reactions, bleeding control, and infant and child CPR/AED. Credential valid for two years.
• Family & Friends CPR Non-credential-bearing classroom course teaching adult Hands-Only CPR, child CPR with breaths, AED use, and infant CPR for community members including parents, grandparents, and caregivers. Taught by an AHA Instructor or community facilitator.
• K-12 CPR/AED & First Aid AHA-credentialed courses exclusively for K-12 students, faculty, and staff, conveying Heartsaver CPR/AED and First Aid curriculum with customizable optional modules for school settings.
• AED Sales, Maintenance & PAD Program Oversight AED product sales (Philips OnSite, Philips FRx), ongoing maintenance, and Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) program setup including physician oversight, EMS registration, responder training, and database tracking of expiration dates.
• HeartSafe Community/Facility Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Out-of-hospital SCA survival rate rises to nearly 80% in Heartsafe communities vs. less than 5% national average
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• American Heart Association (AHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAuthorized AHA Community Training Center since 2005. Provides training center services to over 100 AHA Basic & Advanced Life Support Instructors nationwide, issuing thousands of course credentials annually. Training For Life was among the inaugural recipients of the AHA All-Star Recognition Award in 2025.
• Philips Medical SystemscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGold Distributor of Philips AEDs and peripherals since 2020. Offers the finest AEDs on Earth including OnSite and FRx models. Provides AED program oversight services, required by many states, as well as optional Onsite AED Surveys and Simulated Emergencies.
• CitigroupmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner for employee CPR/AED training and Heartsafe facility certification. Represents enterprise-level group training relationship.
• United Nations AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated to place Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) internationally, including placements as far as Nigeria. Assisted an international coalition in creating the first Heart Association Training Center in the Caribbean Basin in 2009.
• Senator Marty GoldenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational outreach partnership supporting life training initiatives and emergency preparedness programs.
• USS Intrepid Sea, Air & Space MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonated five AED units in July 2008; provides ongoing AED program oversight with 8 deployed units throughout the museum facility.
• USS EdsonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonated AED unit in June 2018 to honor those who have served, preserving and celebrating American military history.
• New York City Office of Emergency Management (OEM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSigned Letter of Agreement to assist NYC OEM by providing advanced training to eligible Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) following September 11th response.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Safety Council: Long-standing First Aid/CPR/AED training and certification provider serving employers and workforce safety programs. Competes with Training For Life on employer and safety-officer contracts, particularly for non-AHA curriculum.
• ProTrainings: Online-first CPR/AED/First Aid and BLS certification provider with blended learning across healthcare and general audiences. Comparable to Training For Life's HeartCode/eLearning plus skills-session approach, especially for individual self-serve learners.
• Code One CPR: American Heart Association Training Center offering BLS, ACLS, PALS, and Heartsaver courses across multiple U.S. regions using blended learning. Direct AHA-affiliated peer competing for healthcare professional and lay-responder enrollment.
• Health & Safety Institute (HSI): A large network of authorized training centers offering CPR/AED/First Aid and workplace safety courses. Operates with a similar blended-learning model and instructor-affiliate program, making HSI a direct comparability benchmark for Training For Life.
• EMS Safety Services: National CPR/First Aid certification and OSHA-compliant training provider for workplaces and individuals. Competes in the same employer-driven segment as Training For Life's organization/group training motion.
• American Red Cross Training Services: The dominant U.S. provider of CPR/AED, First Aid, BLS, ACLS, and PALS training, operating through authorized instructors and a national footprint. Directly competes with Training For Life for enterprise, healthcare, and lay-responder certification market share.

Others

• Bound Tree Medical: Major U.S. distributor of emergency medical equipment and supplies serving EMS, fire, and clinical customers. Adjacent to Training For Life's AED distribution and emergency preparedness supply business as an upstream/channel alternative.
• Laerdal Medical: Global manufacturer of CPR training manikins (e.g., Little Anne), simulation equipment, and AED training accessories sold through Training For Life's LifeShop. Comparable as an adjacent enabling supplier in the same training ecosystem.
• Philips (Royal Philips): Manufacturer of Philips HeartStart OnSite and FRx AEDs, of which Training For Life is a Gold Distributor. Comparable as the supplier channel anchor enabling Training For Life's AED hardware and PAD program offerings.

Broad incumbents

• AED Superstore: Largest dedicated online retailer of AEDs, accessories, and CPR training supplies, also offering group training programs. Overlaps with Training For Life's LifeShop storefront and PAD program sales, but with a deeper consumer e-commerce scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/t4lorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/trainingforlifeinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Training For Life