About Us
Real Experience. Real Training. Real Results.
We Are Your Neighbors. We Are Your Firefighters. We Are Your Instructors.
Compressions for Life LLC is an American Heart Association authorized CPR, First Aid, BLS, and ACLS training facility based in Downtown Bremerton, Washington. We have been serving Kitsap and Mason counties since 2011 — not as a corporate training center, but as the firefighters and paramedics who respond to emergencies on your streets every single shift.
Every class is taught by active professional first responders. We don’t teach from a manual. We teach from real calls. That’s the difference.
Why We Started
After years on the front lines, we realized that the best way to save lives wasn’t just responding to emergencies—it was empowering the community to intervene before we even arrive. We saw a need for CPR and First Aid training that was practical, stress-free, and taught by professionals who actually use these skills in the field.
Today, we are proud to be the premier training partner for:
- Healthcare Providers: Nurses, EMTs, and Dental professionals in Bremerton and Silverdale.
- Federal & Military Entities: Providing OSHA-compliant training for Naval Base Kitsap and local defense contractors.
- The Kitsap Community: Parents, teachers, coaches, and local business owners who want the best for their families and staff.
Giving Back
We are committed to volunteering and actively helping our community become safer and stronger—this includes all our neighboring cities: Bremerton, Silverdale, Poulsbo, Belfair, Port Orchard, Bainbridge, Kingston, and beyond.
📄 Free resource: Download our Emergency Quick Reference Card
Accolades & Affiliations
Meet Kevin Bernt
Lead Instructor
Firefighter/Paramedic & Senior EMS Instructor
Meet Your Instructor — Kevin Bernt, MS
Kevin Bernt is an active firefighter paramedic serving Kitsap County and the founder of Compressions for Life LLC. With years of front-line emergency experience and a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership, Kevin brings a rare combination of academic rigor and real-world credibility to every class he teaches.
As a paramedic Kevin has responded to hundreds of cardiac emergencies throughout Kitsap and Mason counties. He started Compressions for Life because he saw firsthand what happens in those critical minutes before EMS arrives — and he wanted to change those outcomes by putting professional emergency skills into the hands of the neighbors he serves.
Kevin is the sole instructor (along with OBG) at Compressions for Life. When you take a class here you get Kevin — not a rotating roster of part-time instructors. Every student gets the same front-line expertise, every time.
Certifications & Credentials:
– Active Firefighter Paramedic — Kitsap County
– AHA BLS & ACLS Instructor
– Heartsaver First Aid CPR/AED Instructor
– Master of Science — Organizational Leadership
– Washington State L&I Authorized Instructor
– EMS Provider of the Year 2013
– Firefighter Paramedic of the Year 2014
– Veteran-Owned Small Business
– Government Contractor — CAGE Code: 7ZKS7 | UEI: EKDACD88K5X5
Meet OBG — Original Baby Gangster
OBG joined the Compressions for Life team in 2011 under somewhat
mysterious circumstances. Nobody remembers hiring him. He just
showed up one day, took a seat at the front of the class, and
never left.
In his 14 years of service OBG has maintained a perfect attendance
record — attending every single class without exception. He has
never called in sick. He has never asked for a raise. He has never
once complained about the hours.
Until recently.
In April 2026 OBG missed his first ever class. After an extensive
multi-agency search involving 911, the Coast Guard, Search and
Rescue, and the imminent activation of Delta Force — he was
located in the garage. Crawling toward the sauna.
Everyone deserves a break.
OBG specializes in infant CPR and choking rescue demonstrations.
His technique is flawless. His feedback is nonverbal but
expressive. Students consistently rate him as their favorite
part of class — a fact that Kevin finds only mildly concerning.
He is small. He is blue. He is surprisingly heavy for his size.
And he takes his job very seriously.
When you attend a class at CPR Kitsap you will meet OBG in person.
He will expect a back massage during the choking demonstration.
This is non-negotiable.
OBG’s credentials:
✅ Perfect attendance — 2011 to present (one excused absence)
✅ Infant CPR specialist
✅ Choking rescue demonstration expert
✅ Back massage enthusiast
✅ Most experienced training partner in Kitsap County
✅ Sauna aficionado
Awards and Leadership Recognition
We are proud to have been recognized by our peers and community for excellence in service and leadership:
- Kitsap County’s 20 Under 40 Emerging Leaders
- Kitsap County EMS Provider of the Year
- Central Kitsap Firefighter of the Year
- Central Kitsap EMS Provider of the Year
- Kitsap Leadership Program
- Graduate of the BEST Program
Local Partnerships and Memberships
We actively support the local business community and economic vitality of the region:
- Better Business Bureau (BBB) Member
- Bremerton Chamber of Commerce Member
- Silverdale Chamber of Commerce Member
- Downtown Bremerton Association Member
- We are dedicated citizens of Kitsap County, committed to ensuring the health and safety of every neighbor we train.