Emergency First Responder (EMR) Training

The Canadian Red Cross Emergency Medical Responder program provides a higher level of training than Advanced First Aid and prepares students to deliver structured prehospital care within the scope permitted by their employer, agency, and jurisdiction.

The program builds on Standard First Aid and CPR knowledge through more advanced patient assessment, emergency intervention, ongoing care, and scenario-based application.

Training may include:

• Responder safety and infection prevention
• Legal and ethical considerations
• Primary and secondary patient assessment
• Airway management and oxygenation
• Respiratory and cardiovascular emergencies
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and Basic Life Support
• Medical emergencies
• Traumatic injuries
• Bleeding and shock
• Head, spinal, chest, abdominal, and musculoskeletal injuries
• Environmental emergencies
• Obstetrical and pediatric emergencies
• Poisoning and substance-related emergencies
• Patient movement and transport assistance
• Multiple-casualty incidents
• Emergency communications and documentation
• Medical and trauma response scenarios

Completion of EMR training does not independently authorize a graduate to practise beyond the scope permitted by an employer, medical director, provincial regulator, or applicable legislation.

Emergency Medical Responder Compared with Advanced First Aid

Emergency Medical Responder is a higher level of training than Advanced First Aid.

Advanced First Aid is intended for individuals who may need to provide extended emergency care in workplaces, industrial sites, remote environments, and organized response settings. EMR builds on those foundations with more advanced assessment, intervention, monitoring, communication, and patient-management skills intended for professional emergency responders.

Compared with Advanced First Aid, EMR places greater emphasis on:

• Detailed primary and secondary assessments
• Advanced airway and respiratory care
• Ongoing reassessment and patient monitoring
• Medical and trauma decision-making
• Professional responder communication
• Patient packaging and transport assistance
• Complex medical and trauma scenarios
• Integration with emergency medical and incident-response systems

EMR remains below the level of Primary Care Paramedic and Advanced Care Paramedic education. It should not be described as equivalent to a paramedic diploma, paramedic licence, or regulated paramedic designation.

The Emergency Medical Responder program is delivered over 10 weekdays of full-time, in-person training.

All classes are hosted at the Canadian Fire Rescue College campus at 3420 22 Street in Springbrook, Red Deer County, Alberta.

Class 271EMR: FULL-TIME SCHEDULE

10 weekdays of in-person instruction and evaluation

Application Deadline: February 26, 2027

First Day of Class: April 26, 2027

Last Day of Class: May 7, 2027

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Class 272EMR: FULL-TIME SCHEDULE

10 weekdays of in-person instruction and evaluation

Application Deadline: May 19, 2027

First Day of Class: July 19, 2027

Last Day of Class: July 30, 2027

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Class 273EMR: FULL-TIME SCHEDULE

10 weekdays of in-person instruction and evaluation

Application Deadline: August 11, 2027

First Day of Class: October 11, 2027

Last Day of Class: October 22, 2027

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Class 274EMR: FULL-TIME SCHEDULE

10 weekdays of in-person instruction and evaluation

Application Deadline: October 6, 2027

First Day of Class: December 6, 2027

Last Day of Class: December 17, 2027

Application deadlines are two months before the first day of each course. Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow sufficient time for admissions processing, prerequisite verification, tuition payment, and preparation for on-campus training.

 Canadian Fire Rescue College maintains a comprehensive admissions policy that all prospective students are encouraged to review prior to applying.

Key admission requirements include:

• Current Standard First Aid certification with CPR Level C
• Proof that the applicant is at least 18 years of age
• Physical ability to participate safely in practical patient-care activities
• English-language proficiency in accordance with CFRC policy
• High school diploma, GED, or approved mature-student admission
• Completion of all required application and registration documentation
• Ability to attend and participate in the entire course
• Any medical clearance or documentation required under CFRC admissions policy

Students must provide proof of their Standard First Aid and CPR Level C prerequisite before beginning the program.

Applicants intending to use the course for occupational or regulatory licensing must confirm that the certificate will be accepted by the relevant employer, government authority, or professional regulator before enrolling.

Canadian Fire Rescue College offers payment plan options across all training programs, allowing students to manage tuition costs without paying the full amount upfront. Eligible students may apply for a payment plan as part of the program application process.

Our programs are considered part-time and are not currently eligible for government-funded student loans or grants. Students typically arrange financing through personal savings or private loans from banks or financial institutions.

Emergency Medical Responder: Canadian Red Cross EMR and Basic Life Support

Application Fee: $150.00

Remaining Tuition: $1250.00

TOTAL: $1,400.00 (Application Fee forms part of overall tuition)

Tuition must be paid by the applicable deadline before attending the course.

Tuition payments cannot be made until a student has submitted an application and been accepted into the program.

The Emergency Medical Responder program is delivered entirely in person at Canadian Fire Rescue College’s Red Deer County campus.

The program includes approximately 80 hours of intensive training delivered over 10 weekdays. Students progress through classroom instruction, instructor demonstrations, hands-on skill stations, medical and trauma scenarios, written testing, and formal practical evaluation.

Training includes:

• Canadian Red Cross Emergency Medical Responder curriculum
• Basic Life Support training
• CPR and resuscitation skills
• Patient assessment and reassessment
• Medical and trauma emergency care
• Airway and respiratory management
• Patient movement and transport assistance
• Individual and team-based scenarios
• Written knowledge evaluation
• Practical medical and trauma evaluations
• Complimentary on-campus accommodation

Students must attend and participate in the full course. Canadian Red Cross completion requirements include successful demonstration of required skills, achievement of the required written examination standard, and successful completion of evaluated medical and trauma scenarios.

This is not an online or blended program. Students should arrive prepared for full-time classroom and practical participation throughout the scheduled course period.

Students who successfully complete all Canadian Red Cross course requirements will receive:

• Canadian Red Cross Emergency Medical Responder certification, valid for three years
• Canadian Red Cross Basic Life Support certification, valid for one year
• Canadian Red Cross CPR certification, valid for one year

Certification confirms successful completion of the applicable Canadian Red Cross training requirements. It does not automatically confer provincial EMR registration, paramedic licensure, employment authorization, or permission to practise independently.

Students are responsible for maintaining their certifications and completing any required recertification before their credentials expire.

Emergency Medical Responder is a higher medical-training level than Advanced First Aid and may strengthen an applicant’s qualifications for municipal, regional, industrial, volunteer, paid-on-call, and composite fire departments.

For departments that require:

• Standard First Aid
• Advanced First Aid
• First Responder training
• Emergency Medical Responder training
• An equivalent or higher first-aid qualification

Canadian Red Cross EMR will generally meet or exceed the stated level of medical education, subject to the department’s own acceptance and currency requirements.

This course will not satisfy a recruitment requirement that specifically calls for:

• Primary Care Paramedic education
• Advanced Care Paramedic education
• Registration with the Alberta College of Paramedics
• Registration with another provincial paramedic regulator
• A provincially approved paramedic diploma
• A specific paramedic licence or restricted medical designation

Fire department requirements vary and may change between recruitment campaigns. Applicants should verify the exact wording of each job posting directly with the hiring department.

Graduate Career Potential

Emergency Medical Responder training may support employment or volunteer opportunities involving structured emergency medical response.

Potential applications include:

• Firefighter recruitment
• Municipal and regional fire services
• Industrial fire and emergency response teams
• Workplace emergency-response teams
• Remote and resource-sector worksites
• Event medical services
• Search and rescue organizations
• Community first-response programs
• Transportation and public-safety environments
• Professional development for serving firefighters

EMR certification does not guarantee employment or authorization to practise. Employers may require additional occupational training, medical direction, provincial registration, driver licensing, fitness testing, experience, or organization-specific credentials.

This program leads to Canadian Red Cross Emergency Medical Responder certification. The regulatory effect of that certificate varies significantly across Canada.

Students seeking EMR or paramedic licensure must confirm their eligibility directly with the applicable provincial or territorial regulator before enrolling.

British Columbia

The Canadian Red Cross 80-hour EMR program is recognized as an EMR education pathway. Provincial examinations, application requirements, licensing conditions, scope restrictions, and endorsements may still apply. Students should confirm that their specific course documentation meets current Emergency Medical Assistants Licensing Board requirements.

Alberta

This CFRC course is not approved by the Alberta College of Paramedics and does not, on its own, qualify a graduate for initial EMR registration in Alberta.

Saskatchewan

Canadian Red Cross EMR programs are not automatically recognized as approved Saskatchewan EMR education after June 30, 2026. A 2027 CFRC graduate would require individual equivalency consideration or other approval from the Saskatchewan College of Paramedics.

Manitoba

CFRC is not currently listed among the College of Paramedics of Manitoba’s approved EMR education programs. Students must obtain regulator confirmation before relying on this course for registration or examination eligibility.

Ontario

Ontario does not have a provincial EMR paramedic-licensing category. EMR may be used as an employer or first-responder qualification, but it does not confer Ontario paramedic certification.

Quebec

Quebec does not provide a direct Canadian Red Cross EMR-to-paramedic licensing pathway. First-responder recognition is managed through Quebec’s prehospital and municipal response systems, while paramedic practice requires separate education and registration.

New Brunswick

New Brunswick does not register a distinct EMR category. The certificate may support firefighter or first-responder employment requirements but does not directly lead to paramedic registration.

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia has an EMR licensing category, but automatic acceptance of this CFRC program is not confirmed. Applicants should obtain written eligibility confirmation from the Nova Scotia Regulator of Paramedicine before enrolling for licensing purposes.

Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island does not register a distinct EMR paramedic category. The certificate may support non-paramedic employment requirements but does not directly confer paramedic registration.

Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador has an EMR examination and licensing process, but automatic acceptance of this CFRC course is not confirmed. Applicants should obtain written confirmation from the Newfoundland and Labrador Paramedicine Regulation before enrolling for licensing purposes.

Yukon

EMRs are not currently regulated through a territorial paramedic licensing category. Course acceptance is employer or agency-specific.

Northwest Territories

EMRs are not currently regulated through a territorial paramedic licensing category. Course acceptance is employer or agency-specific.NunavutEMRs are not currently regulated through a territorial paramedic licensing category. Course acceptance is employer or agency-specific.

Regulatory requirements, approved-program lists, examinations, scopes of practice, and licensing policies may change. CFRC cannot guarantee that a regulator or employer will accept the certificate for a particular licensing or employment purpose.

Students seeking regulatory registration should obtain written confirmation from the relevant authority before applying.

 Canadian Fire Rescue College provides free, on-site student accommodation to support enrolled students during their firefighter and emergency services training. Single-occupancy rooms and shared facilities are available on campus, allowing students to focus on learning, rest, and performance without the added stress of securing housing.

Click here to learn more about student accommodation at CFRC.

The only fees that students may encounter that not included with their tuition are:

Canadian Red Cross Emergency Care for Professional Responders Reference Text:

• The paperback version of the text can be purchased for $198 directly through the College and will be issued on the first day of class if ordered. Is purchased in tuition payment portal (link received upon acceptance into program).
• E-Book version can be downloaded for free online.

Canadian Red Cross Basic Life Support Field Guide: 

• The paperback version of the text can be purchased for $32 directly through the College and will be issued on the first day of class if ordered. Is purchased in tuition payment portal (link received upon acceptance into program).
• E-Book version can be downloaded for free online.

Food during your stay: 

• The College kitchen provides 3 meals per day if you subscribe to a meal-plan. The meal plan program costs $250 per week. 
• NOTE* There is no meal-service provided by the college on weekends or holidays.

Travel costs to and from campus: 

• Travel to and from the Edmonton International Airport or the Calgary International Airport, the cost of flights, or if you travel directly to the school via car or bus will all cost you money. The nearest airport to the CFRC campus is the Calgary Airport (YYC), however the Edmonton International Airport (YEG) is only a few kilometers further away. These airports are both approximately a 1 hour drive from the college facility. One-way travel via Red Arrow bus-lines costs from $40 - $64, however a rideshare or taxi from Red Deer to the Campus will need to be purchased as well which will cost from $30-$50 ($70-$114 one-way total). The Red Arrow Pick-up and Drop-off location in Red Deer is 7150 50 Ave, Red Deer, Alberta (in front of the Quality Inn), and the college address is 3410 21 Street, Springbrook, Alberta.  
• If you need to book a flight, click here to see what is available and for pricing.

Before you apply, it is a good idea to reach out to an admissions specialist. 

You can book a video chat appointment with one, or send them an email. Click here to get started.

Ready to apply? Click on the link here to begin the application package.