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CPR Instructor


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Hi there,

This is the first time I have posted in this forum. Well the inst side anyways. I have volunteered the last few yrs for the Red Cross. I have decided to become a First Aid/ Cpr inst and maybe babysitter instructor as well. Is anyone familiar with the Red Cross? For example how many hours they want you to volunteer per yr or how many classes you are to instruct.

I have an appt to meet with the Chapter Rep here in 2 weeks. (I volunteered in Washington before not Colorado). I just wanted some ideas is all. And also ask if anyone knows if I HAVE to use their materials ie ONLY purchased FROM them or if I can get them online (same books they use of course) I just am trying to save $ is all.

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I am a Red Cross instructor in Canada, but I suspect that the American Red Cross is the same. The following are the guidelines I have to follow:

To be an instructor, I had to take the instructor course, which was over 2 weekends. I don't know what the cost it there, but here it was $550 including the course materials (and that was a number of years ago).

To be able to teach on your own, you have to prove you carry insurance. Or, you can teach under another instructor, who carries insurance.

Your supplies have to be purchased from Red Cross. To do otherwise undermines the work that Red Cross is involved in to ensure that their programs are standardized through the region, and the work they do on your behalf to develop materials for you to use, and being involved in first aid and CPR research.

I realize that you want to save money, but before you get into instructing, do your homework. There are a lot of potential expenses in starting to instruct - are you going to buy or rent manikins and AED trainers? Where will you get splinting and bandaging supplies? If you teach in a larger centre, do they require a business license? Talk to the rep, and find out if there are instructors who are running classes where they need a second instructor; there are class size limits per instructor. Are there colleges in your area that you could instruct at? If you can get on staff with a local college, they would already have the supplies, and you could work under their insurance and use their classroom.

Red Cross can audit your classes at any time, and if they find that you have been having classes without purchasing materials from them, including photocopying cards to use in your class, they can pull your instructor certification.

Make a list of questions - your rep will be able to help a lot, and can get you in contact with people to help you do this.

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I am a Red Cross instructor in Canada, but I suspect that the American Red Cross is the same. The following are the guidelines I have to follow:

To be an instructor, I had to take the instructor course, which was over 2 weekends. I don't know what the cost it there, but here it was $550 including the course materials (and that was a number of years ago). I was told that here it is 35.00 for the materials (books and etc..).

To be able to teach on your own, you have to prove you carry insurance. Or, you can teach under another instructor, who carries insurance.

Your supplies have to be purchased from Red Cross. To do otherwise undermines the work that Red Cross is involved in to ensure that their programs are standardized through the region, and the work they do on your behalf to develop materials for you to use, and being involved in first aid and CPR research.

I will be working only thru the Red Cross. Instructing classes thru them ONLY. I will ask about the insurance and etc. They (as far as I know) will provide the manikins and supplies. I think part of the cost is included in the students course material fees. I will ask about the local college or a company/hospital and see IF I am able to teach a course under them as well.

I realize that you want to save money, but before you get into instructing, do your homework. There are a lot of potential expenses in starting to instruct - are you going to buy or rent manikins and AED trainers? Where will you get splinting and bandaging supplies? If you teach in a larger centre, do they require a business license? Talk to the rep, and find out if there are instructors who are running classes where they need a second instructor; there are class size limits per instructor. Are there colleges in your area that you could instruct at? If you can get on staff with a local college, they would already have the supplies, and you could work under their insurance and use their classroom.

Red Cross can audit your classes at any time, and if they find that you have been having classes without purchasing materials from them, including photocopying cards to use in your class, they can pull your instructor certification.

Good thing to know. I do not plan on doing anything I am not supposed to, especially photocopying cards. I am NOT going to loose any of my certs/credits/letters under my name NO WAY!!!

Make a list of questions - your rep will be able to help a lot, and can get you in contact with people to help you do this.

Thanks so much for the info. As I said before I plan on instructing thru the red cross only (for now) and working as an EMT on Disasters, deploying and such as events happen. It is hurricane season either now or coming up soon. So I want to be able to deploy as needed so I need to get on this asap. I worked some floods a while back in Washington I loved it. The only part was telling a woman approx 80y/o who had lived in her home for 40+ years that it was washed away. That was a hard thing to do.

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