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Professional Responder
Instructor Development
Course

The Canadian Red Cross has multiple disciplines instructors can teach. One discipline of the Canadian Red Cross Instructor Development courses is Professional Responder. This course allows students to teach First Responder (FR), Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) and Basic Life Support (BLS) training courses to current and future first responders.

Our Professional Responder Instructor Development course teaches candidates the proper way to host these advanced safety courses through online and in-class modules. Learn how to teach a small group of students by practicing teaching methods and more. Once you successfully complete your Professional Responder Instructor course, you will be certified to teach FR and EMR!

Professional Responder Instructor Pathway

1. Evaluate Skills & Check Prerequisites

Prerequisites:
you must be 18 years or older, hold a valid Canadian Red Cross Basic Life SupportFirst Responder or Emergency Medical Responder certification and must have successfully performed a skills evaluation (if you wish to teach FR and EMR, then you only need an Emergency Medical Responder certification).

There are sets of skills checklists for each program and course available on the Instructor Network. The candidate must successfully complete all skills without coaching.

2. Fundamentals of Instruction

Course Length:
8 hours online, 14.5 hours (2 days) in-class

Learn the Fundamentals of Instruction online prior to attending an in-class session. The information you learn online will be applied to your in-class training which is why it is mandatory that you complete the online training successfully.

You must attend and participate in 100% of the course.

3. Discipline-Specific Classroom Component

14.5 hours (2 days) in-class

Complete a First Aid & CPR discipline-specific class successfully.

You must attend and participate in 100% of the course.

4. Teaching Experience

Course Length:
30-45 minutes online, in-class time varies on participant’s competency

Complete the online Teaching Experience module prior to successfully demonstrating a classroom component with the aid of a Teaching Experience supervisor.

5. Certification

Earn a digital copy of your First Aid & CPR Instructor Certification.

  • Valid for 3 years
  • Teach: Emergency First Aid, Standard First Aid, Marine Basic First Aid, Emergency Child Care First Aid, Standard Child Care First Aid and CPR training courses

Post-Course Requirements

Meets the requirement of the co‐teach form as outlined by the Instructor Trainer

6. Teach with Coast2Coast

After you earn your Instructor certification, you may apply to complete a “co-teach” session at Coast2Coast.

You will be required to teach a section of a First Aid & CPR training course under the supervision of one of our experienced instructors. Once the course is complete, the instructor will provide you with feedback and confirm if you are ready to teach.

If an instructor fails you, you must complete the co-teach again.

Registration Process:

To enroll in the Instructor Training course correctly, you must register for two separate components. Please follow these steps for registration:

  1. Complete registration for the Skills Evaluation and Fundamentals of Instruction component
  2. Complete registration for the Discipline-Specific component

Professional Responder Instructor Course Information:

Duration:

4 Days + 1 Skills Day

Requirements:

  • Hold a valid Canadian Red Cross Standard First Aid certificate
  • Demonstrate a positive attitude
  • 100% attendance of the course
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the individual approach to instructing
  • Be able to demonstrate at any time all first aid and CPR/AED skills that are required for the course according to the Canadian Red Cross standards
  • Be flexible and adapt to the needs of each group
  • Be able to positively motivate and influence a group
  • Represent the Red Cross in a professional manner

Teaching Ability:

  • Understand how people learn
  • Effectively communicate information to a small group
  • Accept and give appropriate feedback
  • Teach and evaluate participants according to established standards
  • Identify how to include all participants in the course

Certification:

The Canadian Red Cross in accordance with the standards established by the Society must certify all Canadian Red Cross First Aid Instructors/Instructor Trainers. The certification of a Canadian Red Cross First Aid Instructor/Instructor Trainer is proof that all requirements have been met and that the Instructor/Instructor Trainer is certified and eligible to offer Canadian Red Cross First Aid courses to the public.It is the responsibility of all Red Cross Instructors to ensure that their Instructor certification is current and valid to instruct Red Cross courses. No Instructor is to instruct if not holding a valid and current Instructor certification. Instructor certifications are three years in length.

Recent Awards and Recognition

professional responder instructor training

You may also like:

Looking for an instructor course that isn’t quite as advanced? Check out our First Aid & CPR Instructor Development course instead!

This course will allow you to teach members of your community important life-saving skills they can apply at home, work or out in public when an emergency occurs.

Make a change in the world and complete an Instructor Development-First Aid & CPR training.

professional responder instructor training

Hear From Our Students!

Video Testimonial Compilation

At Coast2Coast First Aid & Aquatics, our mission is to offer community-focused initiatives that empower people with vital life-saving abilities. We are dedicated to equipping every participant in our courses with the essential skills to effectively respond to diverse emergencies. Although we sincerely hope that such circumstances never occur, we are fully prepared to act promptly and efficiently when necessary. Our facilities, located throughout Canada, are furnished with cutting-edge First Aid and CPR equipment and resources. Discover our wide array of Canadian Red Cross programs or contact us for assistance in choosing the course that aligns perfectly with your requirements and situation.

Some of Our Happy Clients

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Testimonial

Maica Orissa
This was my first time taking Standard First Aid/CPR-C training, and honestly, it went above my expectations. Andrea, our instructor, was amazing—she shared real-life stories that made everything easier to understand and way more interesting than I thought it would be.

What I loved most is how practical and hands-on the training was. I walked away not only learning the skills but also feeling more confident that I could actually step in and help if something ever happened.

I’d recommend this to anyone—no matter your age, job, or background. Emergencies can happen anytime, and having this kind of knowledge really can make a difference.
Cathleen Dhaliwal
f zhao
Gavin Walters
I had an excellent experience completing this certification compared to other programs I’ve taken in the past. The online portion was clear, accessible, and very useful, and there were plenty of options for scheduling the in-person training to fit my availability. Rana Osman is an outstanding instructor—she made the day both engaging and informative for the entire class. I would be delighted to take another course with her in the future.
Sachin Sivadasan
The course was excellent and Rana was very helpful.
Jaskaran Kaur
Christina Liu
Great experience completed my certificate training !
Alyssa Magnaye
Had a great experience with Carel 🙂 She is patient, kind, extremely knowledgable, and her analogies for better understanding were very helpful. She has been the best CPR instructor I’ve ever had! Would definitely return for my recertifications.
orkideh Dadras
Thank you Ali . Amazing teacher! The lessons were very educational and enjoyable at the same time. I definitely learned a lot and would love to take more classes in the future.
Gaby Contreras Tello
Instructor very nice and is helps others understand the full class of Standard First AED & CPR Level C.
SAUMYA NAITHANI
Walaa is a great instructor and we learnt a lot from her.
Nadine el baba
I enjoyed taking the course with Carel..
Aishat
Safa Sawaf
It was amazing and beneficial
The instructor was great
Mariana Sofia Maldonado Perdomo
Teacher Whalaa did an excellent class, she explains too well and makes a class of almost 8 hours not feel heavy. I highly recommend the classes if you really want to learn.
KHALED ALSMADI
I truly appreciate the effort and dedication that Teacher Walaa puts into her lessons. She is patient, supportive, and always ensures that her students fully understand the material before moving forward. Her teaching style is clear, engaging, and adaptable to different learning needs, which makes the learning experience both enjoyable and effective.

Teacher Walaa goes above and beyond to motivate her students and create a positive, respectful classroom environment. She is not only knowledgeable but also genuinely cares about her students’ progress and success. I’m very grateful to have learned under her guidance and would highly recommend her to anyone seeking an excellent teacher.
M
I had the great opportunity to train with Walaa who was an engaging and great teacher. She made the material fun and simple to learn. I credit passing my exam to her efforts.
dana shrourou
Walaa was a great instructor! Super knowledgeable and gave great tips.
Azam Zareei
it was very good training i learned alot
winnie
I learned a lot of knowledge from Saika, and she is kind and responsible. I enjoy her class.
Kyrei Padilla
Ms. Saika had a really interactive class. Kept everyone participating. Now im more confident in properly caring for injuries especially amputation. Also I didn’t know you can put your teeth back within an hour of it knocked out!
吕磊
We have a lovely instructor Saik. I am happy to learn more first aid skills rather than CPR. I am confident to apply what I learned to my job. Thank you!
Dylan Langford
Saika is very good and informative
emma shea
Ezz was great in the BLS course! Highly recommend.
Adam Lapier
Ashraf was a great teacher!
Ashraf Salah
eric saenpaseut
Alger ou
Instructor Mitra Sinaki she is so experience on first aid, and her class is so funny. She gave us so much story sharing in real scene she participated. I highly recommended her class.
Nicole O'Connor
Azra is a great instructor. Session was straight forward and easy to follow and engaging.
Response from the owner:Hi Nicole! Thank you so much for your lovely review. We're absolutely thrilled that you had such a great training course with Dave as your instructor. We aim to provide the best learning experience possible and hope you left feeling confident in your life-saving skills! If you have any questions regarding the course, please do not hesitate to contact us! Hope to see you soon for your next training. Stay safe!
Alynea Warner
Went really well, instructor taught good
Jaykie Lee
sofia moreno
Jaspreet Kaur
Response from the owner:We strive to offer the best training experience possible, and that is why your review is very important to us! We are glad that your course with us was insightful and you could learn the important life-saving skills to potentially save a life in the future. Thanks for choosing Coast2Coast for a great learning experience. We hope to see you soon for recertification. Stay safe!
Emily Leili
Ezz - he was great
Kiara Skinner
AG
Ezz was my instructor and he’s awesome! Really good at explaining things so you understand. Would go back for my recertification when the time comes ! And I would recommend to my coworkers!
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your lovely review and recommendation! We're absolutely thrilled that you had such a great training course with Ezz as your instructor. We aim to provide the best learning experience possible and hope you left feeling confident in your life-saving skills! If you have any questions regarding the course, please do not hesitate to contact us! Hope to see you soon for your next training. Stay safe!
Daniela Romero
Easy, clear and good instructors
Kay Gervais
Awesome service, Ashraf was a great instructor. Would recommend!
Harpreet Gill
I like this course because it was very informative and interesting with Instructor’s speech and his own experiences. He gave so many examples and his own experience with the students which help us understand more clearly.
Sarina Pasciuta
The instructor was very knowledgable and engaging.
Response from the owner:Hi Sarina! Your review is greatly appreciated. We’re glad you took action and completed a safety course! You never know when an emergency will occur, whether that’s at home, at work or while you’re out shopping. Thank you for choosing Coast2Coast! We certainly hope to see you at our Ottawa CPR training facility again in the near future for recertification. Stay safe!
julie Mcfarlane
I have been here multiple times and it safe to say that the instructors here are amazing! Ashraf Was a really good instructor and took his time to explain everything well 😊 I am satisfied
Response from the owner:Hey Julie! We strive to offer the best training experience possible, and that is why your review is very important to us! We’re so glad we were able to train you once again, someone who could potentially save a life in the future. Thanks for continuing to choose Coast2Coast to learn life-saving skills. We hope to see you at our Ottawa first aid training facility soon for your next recertification. Stay safe!
Ade Adedosu
It was an intensive class training with a very great trainer, and I Dimitrih Lafleur, who made learning fun yet detailed and impactful. I learnt more not just about the course but also about how to take care of my personal health and family's. I am glad I participated.
Response from the owner:Hi Ade! We strive to offer the best training experience possible, and that is why your review is very important to us! We’re so glad we were able to train you, someone who could potentially save a life in the future. Thanks for choosing Coast2Coast to learn life-saving skills. We hope to see you at our Brampton first aid training facility soon for recertification. Stay safe!
Anita gurunq
Response from the owner:Hi Anita! We strive to offer the best training experience possible, and that is why your review is very important to us! We’re so glad we were able to train you, someone who could potentially save a life in the future. Thanks for choosing Coast2Coast to learn life-saving skills. We hope to see you at our London first aid training facility soon for recertification. Stay safe!
Allison Beauchamp
Tatiana is very knowledgeable and easy to follow and understand!
Response from the owner:Hi Allison! We would like to thank you on behalf of our team for trusting us with your training needs. We’re happy to see that you enjoyed your recent training course with us. Emergencies can happen at any time and we’re glad you took the steps to become more prepared. We hope you learned a lot and left feeling confident in your life-saving skills. See you at our London first aid training facility soon for recertification! Stay safe.
Ottawa Lice Squad
Ashraf was amazing!! Highly recommend taking the first aid and cpr course level c with him.
Response from the owner:Thanks for leaving your fantastic review and recommendation! We're very happy that you had an enjoyable course with us at our Nepean first aid and CPR training facility. Anyone can be a hero and now you're ready to save a life since you have completed a safety training course with us! Hope to see you again for recertification. Stay safe!
Aisha Cisman
Ms. Saika was the instructor who was teaching the course, which I am very grateful for. Do to the fact she explained everything step by step and stop if you didn't understand it 100%. Which helped me understand it more making me feel more confident as well as comfortable to help in any emergency situations with the skills I have learned.
Response from the owner:Aisha, thanks for leaving your fantastic review! We're very happy that you had an enjoyable course with us. Anyone can be a hero and now you're ready to save a life since you have completed a safety training course with us! Hope to see you at our Calgary first aid training facility again for recertification. Stay safe!
Sasha Ross
Ali was an incredible instructor at Toronto Midtown! Great company to work with
Response from the owner:Hey Sasha! Your review is greatly appreciated. We’re glad you took action and completed a safety course at our Toronto first aid training facility! You never know when an emergency will occur, whether that’s at home, at work or while you’re out shopping. Thank you for choosing Coast2Coast! We certainly hope to see you again in the near future for recertification. Stay safe!
layers & crumbs
I took a first aid and cpr course with Ms. Saika and she was amazing! She explained everything clearly, made the class engaging, and was very patient with all our questions. I feel much more confident helping people in emergencies.
Response from the owner:We strive to offer the best training experience possible, and that is why your review is very important to us! We’re so glad we were able to train you, someone who could potentially save a life in the future. Thanks for choosing Coast2Coast to learn life-saving skills. We hope to see you at our Calgary first aid and CPR training facility soon for recertification. Stay safe!
Void Dread
Saika, the instructor, was wonderful overall with great spirits. She had no problem answering my questions and was open for them
Response from the owner:We would like to thank you on behalf of our team for trusting us with your training needs. We’re happy to see that you enjoyed your recent training course with us. Emergencies can happen at any time and we’re glad you took the steps to become more prepared. We hope you learned a lot and left feeling confident in your life-saving skills. See you at our Calgary first aid training facility soon for recertification! Stay safe.
Yao Zhao
Our instructor Saika was a very good teacher. She makes us good understand.It is very good experience.
Response from the owner:Yao, thanks for leaving your fantastic review! We're very happy that you had an enjoyable course with us at our Calgary first aid training facility. Anyone can be a hero and now you're ready to save a life since you have completed a safety training course with us! Hope to see you again for recertification. Stay safe!

Our First Aid & CPR Training Facilities in Canada

Coast2Coast First Aid & Aquatics provides WSIB-approved and OHS-approved First Aid, CPR, EMR, Youth training courses and more in over 23 locations in Canada! We pride ourselves on providing the best training experience possible, ensuring our students leave their course feeling confident in their life-saving skills.

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