How long does a First Aid and CPR certification last in Alberta?

Most First Aid and CPR certifications in Alberta are valid for three years. Renewal courses are recommended before the certification expires to maintain workplace compliance.

What courses are offered by Breath for Life?

Breath for Life offers Standard First Aid, Emergency First Aid, CPR and AED training, childcare first aid certification, and workplace safety training following Canadian Red Cross guidelines.

Who should take a First Aid training course?

First Aid training is recommended for workplace employees, childcare providers, teachers, construction workers, healthcare professionals, and anyone who wants to learn life-saving emergency response skills.

Where are the First Aid training classes located?

Breath for Life provides First Aid and CPR training in Edmonton, Alberta and serves surrounding areas including St. Albert, Sherwood Park, and Leduc.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Courses – CPR

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation – CPR and AED Training

Breath for Life (First Aid Education) Inc offers the following three CPR specific courses:

CPR Level C – In Class: Course Information and Dates
CPR Level C – Blended: Course Information and Dates
CPR Level C – Renewal: Course Information and Dates

Learn More About CPR Courses

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency lifesaving intervention performed when a person has lost consciousness and stops breathing: Cardiac Arrest. It combines chest compressions with breaths (if you are comfortable, willing and prepared to breath) to manually circulate blood to the vital organs until medical professional take over. Every First Aid Course includes CPR and AED Training but CPR and AED training is also offered as a stand alone course.

If you encounter an unresponsive person who is not breathing and are alone, immediately follow these steps:

Check the scene to ensure your own safety
Call 911; if an AED is nearby get it
Assess for unconsciousness and not breathing
Start Chest Compressions if no AED is available:
- Place the heel of one hand in the center of the chest and the other hand on top
- Keep your arms straight and push down hard to achieve a depth of about 5 cm or 2 inches
- Push at the rate of 100 to 120 per minute: the tempo of BeeGee’s song ‘Staying Alive’ creates the correct pace
Give Breaths (Optional): If you are uncomfortable, unwilling or unprepared to breathe you can compress continuously
Use the AED: If an AED is available set it up and follow the prompts

CPR certification is valid for 3 years and you may recertify into the renewal course with a valid, not expired, certificate. However, some employers may require yearly renewal depending on regulatory body oversight.

What can you expect when practicing CPR?

When practicing CPR the goals of achieving the standards of CPR will be emphasized. High-quality CPR compression delivery has been shown to increase a person’s chances of survival when in Cardiac Arrest. Without the efficient delivery of compressions to move blood to the vital organs, which depends on proper depth, rate and recoil, a person dies within 10 minutes of Cardiac Arrest. When the heart stops moving blood for which the vital organs stop receiving oxygen, permanent brain injury occurs within 4 – 6 minutes. The importance of beginning compressions early and efficiently is paramount to a person’s survival.

Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training, a mandatory component of every CPR course or First Aid course that includes CPR and AED Training, emphasizes gaining familiarity with the setup and understanding the communication requirements based on the AED prompts. The AED, through shock delivery, may change an abnormal rhythm, such as Ventricular Fibrillation, back to normal. Understanding that CPR moves blood and the AED may change rhythm chaos, a person’s chance of survival is increased with the early implementation of these two timely interventions. Other topics, relevant to this course, such as choking, angina, serious bleeds and stroke are explored so that you may recognize, intervene and support a person until EMS arrives.