First Aid skills are important and can be learned fairly quickly. First Aid is "first aid". CPR, and how to stop the bleeding, are two of the most important.
The American Red Cross teaches classes on this, and it's not hard to schedule or learn. To be a "certified" babysitter, one needs how to perform CPR on infants and small children.
Being "helpless" because you choose not to learn is your choice.
However, the life you save would rarely be your own (self-initiated Heimlich notwithstanding) and might be someone you love, or care about. The guilt of doing nothing because you chose not to learn might be a lot to bear - but I don't know you so I can't say one way or the other.
Just this past weekend I was talking with a friend of mine who saved two people's lives in the mountains of NC. They got caught in rapid, cold water and coudln't get out. The mom stopped breathing, as did the child. He saved them both.
He was ready, able to help, and willing to help. Maybe you wouldn't be able to do this, I don't know. But being helpless is a bad feeling, I can tell you that from a personal standpoint. I hope it never happens to you.
And most certainly, skills you learn are always with you. You don't have to think about moving them from car to car !
