Emergency First Aid with CPR/AED — Saskatoon

The case for the one-day option

Emergency First Aid is the focused, time-efficient route to a Canadian Red Cross workplace certificate. It concentrates on the high-stakes, time-critical emergencies — cardiac arrest, choking, major bleeding, shock — and trims the broader injury and illness curriculum found in the full two-day Standard First Aid course.

It's the right choice when:

• Your workplace has been classified as low hazard under a CSA Z1220-17 risk assessment — most offices, retail environments, professional services, and similar lower-risk settings in Saskatchewan
• You need a recognized first aid certificate fast and the Standard's two-day commitment isn't workable
• You're a parent, grandparent, or caregiver looking for substantive preparedness training without the broader workplace curriculum
• You're a student, volunteer, or coach whose role requires a workplace-recognized certificate but doesn't justify the full Standard
• You're returning to the workforce and need the credential quickly while you sort out next steps

If your workplace is in mining, construction, manufacturing, oil and gas service, or any moderate-to-high hazard sector — or if you supervise others — you'll most likely need the Standard First Aid course instead. The Class A attendant qualification under Saskatchewan OHS requires 14+4 hours, which Emergency First Aid doesn't satisfy.

The curriculum, hour by hour

The day is heavily practical. After an initial framing of the Emergency Scene Management approach, you'll spend most of the day on manikins, AED trainers, and partner-based scenario practice.

• Emergency Scene Management — the systematic approach to taking control when something has just gone seriously wrong
• Primary survey — recognizing immediately life-threatening problems within the first few seconds
• Calling 911 effectively — what dispatchers need from you, how to delegate the call, and what happens between dispatch and EMS arrival
• CPR Level C — adult, child, and infant techniques, with compression-to-breath ratios and rescue-breathing technique
• AED operation — adult and paediatric pad placement, voice prompt interpretation, integration with ongoing CPR cycles
• Choking — conscious and unconscious response across all ages, with adaptations for pregnancy and obesity
• Severe bleeding — direct pressure, wound packing, and tourniquet use for major arterial bleeding
• Shock management — recognition of compensated and decompensated shock, positioning, and supportive care while waiting for definitive treatment
• Recovery position — when and how to use it, and ongoing patient monitoring

Prerequisites

None. Open to participants aged 14 and older, with no prior knowledge assumed.

Certification

On successful completion — defined as attendance, practical skills demonstration, and a brief written knowledge check — you receive a Canadian Red Cross Emergency First Aid with CPR/AED Level C certificate, valid for three years across Canada. The certificate is accepted by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety, WorkSafe Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan WCB, and equivalent regulators in every other province and territory.

How to decide between Emergency and Standard

The question we get asked most often. Quick framework:

• Your employer specifies a course by name? Take that one. They've done the hazard assessment work; the specification reflects it.
• Office, retail, light service, or similar low-hazard role? Emergency First Aid is usually enough.
• Construction, mining, manufacturing, supervisory, or higher-hazard role? Standard First Aid is what you'll need.
• Booking for yourself, your family, or personal preparedness? Either works — Standard gives broader coverage; Emergency gives focused training on the highest-stakes situations in less time.

Format and scheduling

Emergency First Aid is delivered as a single-day cohort at our Saskatoon training centre, including Saturdays and select weekday dates. We also deliver this format onsite for workplaces — particularly common as a single-day team certification day for retail chains, professional services firms, and community organizations across central Saskatchewan.

Registration

The fastest path is the online registration form, or call (587) 680-0227 during business hours. For groups of six or more, ask about onsite scheduling — we can almost always work around your operating hours.