American Heart Association BLS CPR Certification Courses: Essential Training for Lifesavers. The American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR certification course is a critical training program designed for healthcare professionals and first responders. This course equips participants with the skills necessary to recognize life-threatening emergencies, provide high-quality chest compressions, deliver appropriate ventilations, and use an automated external defibrillator (AED) effectively.