I was excited to go to my CPR class tonight. They've canceled the class literally two hours before the class start. I am so surprised. They obviously don't realize the people in the jobs the life they are affecting so I would highly recommend choose a place that's not cancel your class. read more

I completed my BLS and ACLS certification courses here. Bill was my instructor and the class was great. He kept it interesting and we went through all the topics throughly so that I felt confident that I would pass the exam at the end. For the ACLS course he ordered us whatever jimmy John sandwhich we wanted. And not one of those half-can-barely-feed-a-bird type sandwiches. The real deal along with refreshments. Advice: before you purchase the book call them or send them an email. While CPR Now has great prices on the courses (and bundle price savings which is what I did), you can even get better deals by checking in on yelp, following them on Facebook or twitter, or even emailing them if they have any last minute specials running to fill a class. Parking is free on Ravenswood St. read more

Chicago CPR Now - Dummies to practice CPR - CPR Classes Near Me - Glen Ellyn, Illinois

I was hesitant to post a negative review about a business run by fire fighters in the middle of a pandemic. However, I am writing this review so that other consumers don't have the same experience with this for profit business. I purchased a combine BLS and ACLS for health care providers class. However, I realized I purchased the wrong class, that I wanted to purchase the combines online / skills check option. Within 7 min I contacted the business by email (they don't answer the phone). We had a series of email exchanges (which Jason's tone escalated) approximately every 10 to 15 min. Within 1 hour of purchasing the class I no longer felt comfortable taking this course and requested a refund (which I was still eligible for since I never registered for a course). I have followed up with Jason and never received a response. I am out $200. Normally, I would attribute this lack of response to being busy due to the pandemic. If this were the case, my expectation would be for the business to delegate the work of handling emails to another individual. Additionally, after reviewing other yelp reviews, it appears that this is a pattern that predates the pandemic. If the business decides to falsely respond stating that they have responded to my email requests (as they have in other reviews) I would request they include a screen shot with the time stamp. read more

Chicago CPR Now - Email exchange - CPR Classes Near Me - Glen Ellyn, Illinois

Went for a certification and got an experience. Bill was fun, engaging, and very informative. Best CPR/AED I've had!!! Thanks Bill, you're a "LIFESAVER"! read more

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This group is HIGHLY unprofessional. They do not monitor or respond to email requests at all. I have been attempting for a week to reschedule a course that we have already paid for and I have not gotten any responses back to multiple emails to multiple people. I will have to stop payment on my credit card to get a refund. I see from prior reviews that other people have had an issue with a lack of response from them as well. DO NOT BOOK A COURSE WITH THIS COMPANY. I REPEAT, BUYER BEWARE!!! read more

I took the CPR/AED certification class yesterday with Bill who was an awesome instructor! The class was straight forward and allowed you to practice the skills that could ultimately save someone's life. It was clear to me that Bill had a passion for the subject because even after 10 years of teaching it, he showed energy and appreciation for the questions we had! Great place good people, I highly recommend it. read more

Great experience in working with Chicago CPR Now. I renew my certification every year through them and always feel I've learned something new. We concentrate mainly on adults, the portion dedicated to CPR and choking for infants and children is especially in depth and knowledgeable. I would highly recommend this class. read more

This has been the most insanely unprofessional company I have ever worked with. Summary for those who don't want to read my novel: -they did not prioritize student safety during a pandemic -unresponsive to emails and phone calls -escalated to aggressive, accusatory language when confronted -have not issued certification 39 days after I attended class -crossing my fingers I get a refund, but I'm still out the hours I spent attending the class and checking my email for a certification that never came I attended a BLS for healthcare providers course with Bill 5.5 weeks ago. The class was about 3 hours. Bill conducted the course without wearing a mask, in the middle of a pandemic (May 21, 2020), and disclosed at the end of class that he'd been working directly with COVID patients. The space was small and enclosed and they had intended to fill the class to maximum capacity, with pairs of students spaced about 2 feet apart, but luckily half the students were no-shows. I was uneasy, but figured the damage was done and went home. On 5/25 I emailed asking when I would receive my eCard. No response. I sent an email from a different email address in case there was something wrong with the first one on 6/1. No response. I called and left a voicemail. No response. I wrote a Yelp review expressing my frustration at the lack of communication on 6/4. I sent emails on 6/5 and 6/6 to the company and to Bill. FINALLY, on 6/7 I get a paragraphs long threatening response from Bill calling me childish, threatening to withhold the CPR card as long as legally possible and indicating that I may or may not receive my eCard under my registered name/email address...all in response to me having written the Yelp review. At that point, Bill also forwarded me an email that he had sent me on 5/25, I had never received it and I said so. I deleted the Yelp review, as I thought the misunderstanding had been resolved. I never received my eCard or follow-up emails, so on 6/19 I emailed again asking for an update. No response. On 6/27 I sent a final email requesting that they either issue my eCard or provide a refund, as it had been over 5 weeks and I needed the certification for school and work. Today, 39 days after I attending the course, I received an email from Jason indicating that they had decided to issue me a refund based upon "my passive aggressive emails and libel social media posts". So, I'm unsure when they decided that they wouldn't be giving me my certification. Was it 25 days ago when they read the first Yelp review? Were they just ignoring my emails the entire time? I have no idea. I really don't care. I would never recommend this company to anyone. I've felt threatened, unsafe, confused and have nothing to show for it. These guys love to threaten anyone that writes negative reviews of their company. It worked the first time, I took my post down. But at this point, they have no intention of ever issuing me my certification so they really have nothing to hold over me anymore. Original Yelp review from 6/4: I paid for and attended a BLS for Healthcare Providers course over two weeks ago and never received my certification card. I emailed the company from two different email addresses and left a voicemail. There's been zero response. I'm sure it was a mix-up, but the total lack of communication has made this so much more frustrating than it needed to be. My job and school both require this certification, so at this point I may need to pay for another class elsewhere so that I don't lose my position. read more

Took BLS class on last Thursday. Instructor is professional and energetic. I'd recommend to anyone.

Holy crap! I think I actually enjoyed a CPR certification class. My CPR certification was LOOONG overdue, and an upcoming interview required that I needed to be certified, so a quick google search showed me to Chicago CPR Now - one lone spot in a class time that worked with my schedule, location was easily accessible via public transportation, price was reasonable and certification is good for 2 years. Sounds like a great plan. Except I hate CPR classes. I'm always the one who's confused, forgets how many breaths to take in between chest compressions, and I never press hard enough. I'm usually a teacher's pet, but never in CPR classes. So I was dreading this. BIG TIME. But the instructor, Jason was great - he had a great teaching style, he's serious about his CPR stuff, but he's laid back enough that you're not freaking out about forgetting one detail, but attentive enough as we demo'ed on the dummies (adult and baby). I have a feeling my previous CPR classes may have been run by high strung people stressing about that this is LIFE AND DEATH we're messing with so we need to be all stressed out, which makes me not so open to learning. B/c if you make a mistake, you're screwed! I highly recommend Chicago CPR Now and Jason as an instructor - I think I actually learned CPR this time! read more

There are certain things in this life for which "undesirable" is an understatement: shotgun wedding speeches, settling the group dinner check and the always-raucous colonoscopy. Close to that level of infamy lies certifications a part-time employer or volunteer organization forces you to take. That's why I THANK GOD for Chicago CPR!! Although it may be odd seeing a five-star rating for such a niche service, believe me, these guys deserve it. The instructor took something rather dry and made it not only interesting but truly fun! He was informed, eloquent, funny and very patient with my gazillion questions. I found these guys randomly online and I'm so happy I went that I just had to pop on here and give props where props are due. Keep it up, fellas! And remember: we no longer trust you alone with those CPR mannequins! ;^) *wink wink* read more

Great online class. I was in need of PALS renewal and I found this place when CPR associates wasn't responding to me. It's located in the city. Bonus They had several times available for me to go in. Super responsive via email. Reasonably priced. I'll definitely go back for my BLS, ACLS & PALS. read more

I took the Heartsaver CPR/AED training class last night with Bill Buffington. I am a nanny and I was due to renew my Infant/Child CPR. I have taken this course before at many different locations and this was definitely the best. Here's why: -Bill was enjoyable and made the class entertaining -The information was concise and understandable -The way the information was presented was efficient and easy to remember -You got to practice on dummies, you didn't have to do it with a human partner -The price was right. -Free, convenient parking I will definitely be back to Chicago CPR Now when I need to renew my CPR again. I highly recommend it to all my fellow nannies! read more

I wish I did my initial CPR certification with Chicago CPR now initially. The information I received in this class was more comprehensive than my previous CPR courses. I like that the course was only two hours. The location in Ravenswood allows for street parking. (yay) I also like lofts so I favored their training space. I was a little annoyed with my session though. The instructor that was supposed to lead our session got into a car accident. The substitute instructor was 30 mins. late. I understand that these things happen. I'm glad they didn't cancel our session since I was taking off from work for this certification. I understand that we are supposed to cover a certain information in a certain amount of time, but I feel that our instructor did not manage his time correctly. I was willing to stay 30 mins. after we were originally scheduled to let out, but he kept us an additional 45 mins. after our session was supposed to end. That means an extra 15 mins. After a long day and having to work early in the morning the next day, I was very annoyed. I don't think it was very fair for the instructor to mismanage their time. He knew he was late, but still kept us later. Further, the girls in the class were chitchatting and making jokes with him during the class which took even more time from our session. As a part-time facilitator myself, I understand the importance of respecting others' time and keeping a group on task. It pains me to write this review since I want to write good things, but I feel something needs to be said. I was pleased with the information delivered; I learned a bit. I just wish our instructor stuck to an appropriate ending time and kept our group on task instead of going on tangents with the chatty girls from our class. read more

Working in the medical field for over 17 years, I have taken more than my share of CPR courses. If you have ever taken one, then you know that a day at the dentist is more enjoyable than sitting through one of these classes. Hours and hours of boring videos filled with 1970's actors pretending to have a heart attack after "eating" a breakfast plate full of bacon, eggs, and sausage, and the guy in a speedo "drowning" in a foot of water, even though I'm pretty sure he's a lifeguard. A group of us from work had to take this course. Jason made our class fast, fun, and most of all, cost efficient. He got down to business, and before we knew it, we had our cards in our hands and were ready to take on any medical emergency that came our way (well, at least anyone who needed what we learned). We highly recommend this class to anyone needing it-you won't be disappointed! On a side note, Jason also hooked us up with an AED dealer who was awesome. Great prices, and fast shipping! read more

Class was great! How do I obtain a copy of my cpr certificate once I have taken the class?

Helloooooooo Ladies. And I do mean Ladies!! Guess what??? Simon just got certified in C P R. That's right. CPR. The life I might save could be your own! The romance we could build off this CPR make out session could last a lifetime, and could be OUR own. I won't tell. shhhhhhhh. This is a Secret Love. Like that jam from the 80s. Now who's hungry!? Have you thrown up a lil in your mouth yet? ok. lets move on :( This was a really great class with a really great instructor. Everyone gets hands on experience, and you know what the best part is? It is sooo sooo easy and really cheap! Under 70 bucks! For that price, there could be someone out there (probably someone you love) that you might save one day. Think about it. Is the price worth someones life? I sure hope so! The class was fairly small, and the instructor was really easy going and answered all our questions. Everybody got to practice on their own doll. I think the doll was (is) named Annie. The probability of saving someones life by just using CPR is only around 6 percent. did you know that? yea. crazy. But if you know what you're doing, its a chance that many people would love to have back. REMEMBER. THE class IS REALLY REALLY easy. The concepts are soo easy to learn. Just sign up and go already! A face guard for your key chain is included with the cost of the class. So are books, and a CD. I got my certification at Cheetah Gym in Bucktown. Don't hesitate to ask me any questions through PM! read more

What a lifesaver! good one, eh? There are a few things that can be said about this company that makes it stand out from other CPR training companies. The instructor answered all of my questions (even the wierd ones), the class size was small (he came to our facility two times to train us), the CPR mannequins were super clean and realistic. I have only taken this class one other time but this instructor was far and away the better of the two. read more

First time going to a class for CPR. I'm starting a job as a nanny, so this was exactly what I needed, especially in terms of CPR for infants. Extremely informative and had a great instructor. Definitely will be recommending to others! read more

As I entered motherhood, I wanted to make sure my husband and I were prepared for anything, the good, the bad and the ugly. Which is why we enrolled in the CPR certification class at Chicago CPR Now. Three weeks before delivering Baby DD, we enrolled in their evening class. Our goal for taking the class was to have the tools and knowledge to assist our child should anything happen. We arrived at the facilities, an industrial, loft-space building in the Ravenswood area; there is street parking, but definitely make sure you arrive early, as the neighborhood is residential, you may have to search for a spot. Jason, our instructor for the 2-hr session, was great and couldn't have been more helpful. A paramedic by trade, he really put the entire class into perspective for all attendees. My husband and I were the only civilians among the other students (meaning not in the child development/education or healthcare field). and Jason broke down the class for us lay people. He took the time to show us the proper techniques to administer CPR to infants, children and adults. At the conclusion of the class, we left with the knowledge and techniques for performing CPR and a two-year certification. Although I hope we do not have to use the skills we learned, I am thankful to Chicago CPR Now for the instruction. read more

Just did my BLS for providers recert tonight. I have been coming to this place for years, and always end up with Bill. He makes the class entertaining and very engaging. I don't know if this dude just never has a bad day, but he is always fantastic. I will keep coming and recommending them to anyone I know who needs any cpr training, be it their first class or hundredth class. I'm an RN who works for an agency so it usually far more convenient to take my cpr recert near my home than it is to drive far out into the suburbs. Highly recommended, haven't had any bad experience, and I have rescheduled before, no problem. I'm really glad to have found this place. I keep wanting to do my PALS here. Thanks Bill, you keep me coming back. Also this was Emily M, not Susie. Sorry about that. Can't figure out how to change it on the app. I use yelp so rarely. read more

I was waiting to take all the courses so I could write a comprehensive review. I took BLS, ACLS and PALS with Bill. From his lectures you can tell he is a great healthcare provider and that makes him a good instructor, often incorporating scenarios from his own experiences and I find that very useful. The classroom is rather big and accommodates up to 12/14 people. Sometimes it get chilli so dress in layers. The course met my expectations, I got to practice some skills and familiarize with equipment. Bill also has a good disposition to answer questions and concerns and will provide feedback at the end of your test to clarify anything you might have missed during the course. If you're looking for a good course, don't look any further. read more

Straight to the chase. I went here for my BLS ANS ACLS. My instructor was William Buffington. First off, great guy and teacher. He makes the topic less boring and more informative than other CPR places in the city. He is very smart and feels like he cares about each student getting the most education and training out their money. The location is right behind Trader Joe's on Lincoln in a warehouse that holds various offices. Lunch was provided for the ACLS. I wouldn't go anywhere else for re-certification. read more

Today I took my very first BLS class for Healthcare Providers at Chicago CPR Now and it was absolutely great! Bill is a very good instructor. He uses his professional skills as a paramedic; as well as, the American Heart Association instructions. He was very detailed, made sure we paid close attention to key factors and numbers related to life saving scenarios in the videos we watched . All of my questions were answered and I understand much better now. The hands on experience was very helpful also. My confidence level in what Ilearned today is much better. I would definitely recommend people to this company. Thanks Bill!! read more

The class was easy and fun. Our instructor was funny, and made the class more interesting! If you're looking for cpr classes this is the place to go! read more

I just took a CPR/AED class here with Instructor Buffington. He hit on all the important points in addition to bringing in real life situations for a better understanding. He also brought humor to the curriculum which helped since it was a long class on a very serious subject. He also was quite serious about the importance and empowerment this class would bring. I plan on going back for refreshers and recertification here. Great class and instructor read more

Bill and Rob were fantastic! I hate taking ACLS/BLS classes but this one was by far the best one I've taken. They were fun, made it easy to learn and kept us engaged in class. They didn't get annoyed by all of my questions and really made it interactive. I normally go to the classes offered by my employer but from now on I'm ditching those classes and going to theirs instead. Oh and they answered my email asap which is an unexpected plus. Highly recommend them. read more

I took a BLS class at Chicago CPR Now and I have to say it is the best BLS class I have ever taken. I have been an RN for 10 years and have taken many BLS classes where the instructors seem to mindlessly go through the motions. My instructor, William Buffington, was amazing! He is very knowledgeable and passionate about high quality CPR. He gave us a lot of time to practice CPR, BVM, AED and he made sure we knew what we were doing before we moved on. The test at the end of class was fair and it covered all of the important concepts in class that were stressed. I felt very prepared. The class was thorough an engaging. I never thought I'd find a CPR class interesting but this class changed my mind about that. I highly recommend this class to my fellow RN's. read more

This is new for me to write a review like this so bear with me. I asked my husband to sign me up for this class so that I could complete my personal training re-certification. A day or so before the class, he asked if I had received an email to confirm the class, which I hadn't. We called to make sure that I was enrolled, and was told everything was good. I took the class with Bill on Sunday afternoon, and he was great! I mean, best CPR class I've ever sat for good. He even motivated me to come annually and I was sure that I would...until now. Today is Wednesday and I still have not received the link to purchase my CPR card. For reasons explained during the class (and on the website...which my husband ignored) you must pay a SEPARATE fee if you intend to receive an electronic CPR card. We were told at the end of class to simply send an email to them, and we'd receive the link to where we can purchase the card. Instantly I told my husband to do so, and....nothing...no link. He called and emailed, I called and emailed, until finally I sent an email through the "contact us" section on the website. By doing so (after reading reviews here) I expected to be contacted by Jason, and I was. Here's a snippet: "Sending us messages via our webpage as well as multiple emails does not help us respond any faster to your initial email. We had to search for all these emails to see if we missed something, see if we did something wrong. We had to call the CPR instructor who is carrying the phone to see if they talked to you. Instead of creating you an invoice and sending you a link. Nonetheless, we will send you an invoice at our earliest convenience. We are only able to issue invoices to so many people at one time. As you will see when you receive your invoice we give people five days to pay it before the invoice is withdrawn and placed at the bottom of our queue. So once you receive this invoice please pay for the remainder of your balance as soon as possible so others are able to receive the invoice they are waiting for." Do what you will with the information. Like I said, Bill is great, but I find this to be BAD customer service whether I made a mistake or not (and clearly this mistake is common as there were several other people in the class with the same issue). Sending an invoice at their "earliest convenience", when I was told after class I would get a link "instantly" to purchase my CPR card, is questionable. Any how, I will also post this review on the BBB and take another CPR class without the hoops and loops at another location. It doesn't take 4 or more days to get CPR certified. Bill, Keep up the great work! read more

Great CPR class. Met all the specifications I needed for working in the hospital and the private practice I work in.

Very good class to take if you need your CPR & First Aid certification. 2 year certificate. Course is taxable too!

I came here for my ACLS and BLS for healthcare provider classes. Both were very informative and made the certification process more interesting than just any normal class. The ACLS class even included jimmy johns! I feel very prepared for all situations covered in the class content. My friends and I loved Bill and would recommend his classes to anyone who needs them. read more

So I didn't actually take a class here but I did receive some excellent support with a gentleman I spoke to over the phone. I was inquiring about in home infant CPR classes and he informed me that they would have to charge for a minimum of ten people (regardless if ten show up). He then provided ample information on the basics of infant first aid education and CPR which in turn helped me make a better decision on how I wanted to proceed with CPR/first aid classes. Didn't catch his name tho! :( But if I lived closer to the area, I would definitely come here for classes just based off how that phone call went. read more

I had to reschedule, because I have two jobs. I tried calling Chicago CPR Now's office, but they don't answer the phone. I waited over 24 hours for a reply. When I offered the date I wanted to reschedule for, I was e-mailed (still no one answering the phone) and told to e-mail again the day prior to the date I wanted. When I did this-inevitably-that date was booked full. When I asked for my money back, obviously upset, I was told to 'go ahead and try to get your money back' or 'start a legal battle over your $45' (paraphrasing). I was also told 'What's the point of posting a negative review, it will be down in a few days anyway?' No one answers the phone. 24 hour + e-mail lags and Jason makes sarcastic comments about the customer being upset. No way would I go here to learn CPR. Not under any circumstances. read more

If you need any sort of CPR/AED training I would most definitely recommend Chicago CPR Now. Bill, a suburban paramedic of over a decade, taught our class. He started exactly on time and you could tell he was trying to get through all of the information quickly and efficiently while still being thorough (i.e. wasn't wasting time). I have a feeling we would have gotten done a bit early, too, if we didn't have "that girl" who, in one sentence, was 8 minutes behind in (optional) note taking and had 75 questions about something we'd already covered and beaten to death, and then in the next sentence was debating with Bill about how to properly provide CPR and first-aid in certain situations. Two thumbs up. 5 stars. I will be back. read more

Renewed my BLS here the other day. I had the same instructor as 2 years ago, Mr. Buffington. He's funny, so he makes the class enjoyable. $50 well spent! I will go back to him in another 2 years. read more

If I could give a rating of negative points/stars I absolutely would. I have taken a class with them before and it was great and had a great experience which is why I considered coming back for recert course. Unfortunately due to unavoidable circumstances I had to cancel. Unfortunately I sent in my request to cancel ONE day after their given 7 days period to cancel with nominal fee. I thought it was worth a try to try and email them and see if they could in some way waive the fee since I had only missed the "deadline" by one day. I had to send emails back and forth numerous times to explain my personal circumstances as to why I am asking for this waiver/refund. Although I didnt feel right about why I had to explain so much, as any business usually gives at least one time courtesy fee waiver no matter what the situation is, I still went ahead and sent in detailed explanation as to my circumstances and why I wouldnt be able to attend this class. Reason was simple, I had surgery recently and due to my physical therapy and scheduling conflicts with my other commitments I had to cancel, but sadly that wasnt enough. After 2 days of silence I wrote an email upset that I had not received a response back regarding my refund or whether my participation was canceled or not. Albeit upset, I wrote a somewhat disgruntled but still civil email. Cut to 30 minutes later, I get an email from Jason absolutely livid and accusatory to everything from this earth to the moon. An email that accused me of slandering and malice and calling them names, none of which are true. Not only was I falsely accused and wrongfully chastised for being upset I was warned and threatened about being banned and refused any future admittance to the program. The kind of reprimand for expressing any level of frustration as customer that I have gotten from this company is reprehensible and absolutely worthy of disaccreditation. No company that teaches strangers to save other strangers should respond in this manner EVER! If you cant handle a few disgruntled customers then how can you tout your abilities in teaching others to save lives? Absolutely deplorable! Jason's actions and words have given me enough to consider seeking legal counsel against this company! Go somewhere else, where they can handle people when life happens! At least you dont be degraded personally! read more

I took the BLS for Healthcare Providers with Bill B. today as part of my DPT program requirement. Bill is extremely knowledgeable because he is a fire fighter, paramedic and a self-proclaimed "CPR nerd." Thus, as an instructor, he is able to teach the material in ways that are engaging, efficient and easy to remember. We had ample time to practice the techniques on both adult and infant manikins. Bill also patiently answered all of our questions and gave insight into what to expect in a real-life scenario. The parking was free, easy and the price was right! I plan to re-certify here again yearly. Thanks, Bill! read more

Stay away! The "one-star" rating is generous when rating this place. While all the reviews seem to focus on Bill (and he may very well be nice), it is within your best interest to stay away! When sending an email to simply ask a question about changing my wife's class, Jason was horribly rude and condescending. Please do not waste your time with this organization. There are many others within the Chicagoland area that will provide the same service with respect and decency. read more

I really enjoyed the training I attended! The president, Jason Santeler, kept the class moving really well using practical tips and humor to keep us engaged. Definitely recommend them! read more