Whether it's a cut, burn, sprain or something more serious, it often falls on the people around when an emergency strikes to provide first aid to a patient. Knowing what to do and how to do it during an emergency can save not only time, but also lives. With this in mind, it's a good idea to get some training on the basics of providing first aid in emergency situations. There are plenty of locations for doing so.

If you want to learn how to effectively provide aid if a problem arises, the places to turn for proper training include local Red Cross chapters, schools and even area hospitals. These locations often offer great courses including CPR and beyond. What's more, if you're trained to provide assistance while waiting for medical attention, you shouldn't find yourself feeling helpless if something bad does happen. Few feelings are worse than having to stand by and wait for help while a loved one suffers. Being trained to give first aid can help alleviate this circumstance.

The reasons for wanting to learn how to provide help in basic medical emergencies are many. Some people do so for their jobs; others want to be able to help loved ones if a bad situation occurs. Parents with small children are particularly in tune to the need to be able to provide first aid. Images of choking children, drowning children or kids with big cuts often make parents run screaming to the nearest outlet to learn.

If you've decided to learn how to give first aid in a medical crisis, let's look at the options for getting the right training. It's important to ensure the outlet is accredited to give the instruction. Learning incorrectly can be dangerous. Here are some of the best choices for learning it the right way:

Red Cross chapters: Although these might not be available in every area, this organization provides low cost and sometimes free training in basic first aid, which will include the Heimlich maneuver; CPR and even infant and child courses designed to help parents handle minor emergencies that crop up. Certification for giving CPR will often be offered, too.

Hospitals: These are a great choice for a number of classes. Many hospitals provide an array of classes designed to teach people how to give first aid in a number of situations. In addition to what the Red Cross offers, hospitals might also give courses designed to help caregivers of special needs patients understand what needs to be done in a crisis.

Area schools: High schools often have night school programs that will sometimes include basic first aid and CPR. Whether these courses are taught by the school's instructors or teachers from the Red Cross will vary, but the end result is a good basic understanding of how to give first aid in an emergency.

When a medical emergency arises, there's nothing worse than being helpless to assist. By taking basic classes, almost anyone can be prepared to give first aid when it's needed.