The American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support (BLS) course teaches participants how to provide immediate care to people experiencing cardiac arrest, respiratory distress, or an obstructed airway. The course covers a variety of skills, including: 
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): How to perform chest compressions and rescue breaths
Automated external defibrillator (AED): How to use an AED early in an emergency
Airway obstruction: How to relieve airway obstructions in patients of any age
Life-threatening emergencies: How to recognize life-threatening emergencies and respond promptly
The goal of BLS is to keep a person alive until they can receive more advanced medical care. 
There are different types of CPR, including: 
Hands-only CPR: Involves calling for help and then performing chest compressions
Traditional CPR with breaths: Involves alternating chest compressions with mouth-to-mouth breaths