Why Do Camps Require Intermediate/Standard First Aid Training and Certification?
If you’re applying for a camp counsellor job, you’ll likely see Intermediate/Standard First Aid and CPR listed as a requirement, not a suggestion. A camp isn’t like an office with a nurse on call. Many sit an hour or more from the nearest hospital, and insurers build staffing rules around that distance. This training covers fractures, breathing emergencies, and shock, more common on a canoe trip than in a typical workplace. It’s also what keeps a camp’s liability coverage valid.
What Makes a Camp Emergency Different From a Typical Job?
The biggest factor is distance. Bystander action in the first few minutes often decides the outcome, and every minute without CPR reduces survival odds by 7% to 10%, the farther a site sits from an AED or paramedics, the higher the certification bar insurers expect. A twisted ankle on a trail far from the city doesn’t wait for a drive back to cell service. Camps also run higher risk activities like ropes courses and canoeing, widening what staff may need to respond to.
What’s Actually Inside an Intermediate/Standard First Aid Course?
Intermediate/Standard First Aid is typically a two day, in person course, about 16 hours in duration, covering skills well beyond Basic/Emergency First Aid. Expect training in topics like choking, external bleeding, allergic reactions, heart attack recognition, and pediatric emergencies, plus heat exhaustion and hypothermia. Participants practice CPR and AED use hands on with adult, child, and infant manikins, then get assessed by a certified instructor, not through an online course. It’s different from Basic Life Support (BLS), used mainly by healthcare workers.
See What’s Covered in a CPR/AED Course
Level C CPR and AED training for adults, children, and infants.
Intermediate/Standard First Aid vs Basic/Emergency First Aid: Which One Do Camps Ask For?
Basic/Emergency First Aid is a one day course covering CPR, AED basics, choking, and life threatening emergencies. Intermediate/Standard First Aid adds a second day of ongoing care, the kind needed while waiting for help to arrive. Most camps list Intermediate/Standard First Aid as the minimum requirement for counsellor roles.
Does a Counsellor in Training Need the Same Certification?
Many camps hire Counsellors in Training with only Basic/Emergency First Aid, since a CIT works alongside a fully certified staff member. Once a CIT moves into a paid counsellor role, most camps expect this training completed before the season starts. Confirm the requirement and registration deadline with your camp.
Training a Whole Camp Staff?
Ask about group rates for onsite Intermediate/Standard First Aid training.
Intermediate/Standard First Aid vs Wilderness First Aid for Remote or Overnight Camps
Overnight and backcountry camps sometimes ask for more than Intermediate/Standard First Aid. Wilderness First Aid is a separate class built for situations where help is hours away, covering extended patient care and evacuation decisions. Camps running multi day canoe trips or backcountry hikes, whether near the city or deep in the backcountry, may require both.
How to Get Certified Before Camp Season Starts
Camp hiring season moves fast, and first aid courses and training classes fill up every spring across Canada. Book early with a WSIB-approved provider offering an in person skills assessment, since fully online certification isn’t accepted for camp roles. Once completed, your certification lasts three years, so check your card before starting recertification.
Key Takeaway
Camps ask for Intermediate/Standard First Aid because they operate far from hospitals and run activities with real physical risk. It’s the training that lets a counsellor perform CPR, use an AED, and manage an emergency until paramedics arrive. Booking your course early gives your camp counsellor career the best possible start.
Join 150,000+ Canadians Who Are Certified
Find a location near you and book your Intermediate/Standard First Aid course today.
Frequently Asked Questions: Camp Counsellor First Aid Requirements
Q1: Why do camps require Intermediate/Standard First Aid instead of Basic/Emergency First Aid?
A: Camps often sit far from emergency services and run higher risk activities. Along with CPR and AED skills, it covers external bleeding, severe allergic reactions, and other emergencies Basic/Emergency First Aid doesn’t.
Q2: How long does Intermediate/Standard First Aid certification take?
A: The course is typically two days, around 16 hours total duration, including a full CPR and AED component. Blended formats pair online theory with a shorter in person skills day, though hands on assessment with a WSIB-approved instructor is always required.
Q3: Does a Counsellor in Training need Intermediate/Standard First Aid?
A: Not always. Many camps only require Basic/Emergency First Aid for Counsellors in Training since they work under a fully certified staff member. Once a CIT becomes a paid counsellor, most camps expect it completed before the season starts.
Q4: How often do you need to recertify Intermediate/Standard First Aid?
A: These certificates are valid for three years. Many camps ask staff to recertify before a new season if their card expires that summer, since lapsed certificates can affect insurance coverage.
This article is for general educational purposes only and does not replace your employer’s specific certification requirements or professional medical guidance.
Reviewed by Ashkon Pourheidary, B.Sc. Hons Neuroscience
Co-Founder of Coast2Coast First Aid and Aquatics and Canadian Red Cross Instructor Trainer since 2011.
Source: Ontario Camps Association Health and Safety Standards.
