Instructor Training

Be part of the American Red Cross mission and teach Health and Safety courses! Each year the American Red Cross teaches valuable lifesaving skills to nearly 12 million people; but we can't do it alone. We need your help!




Become an American Red Cross instructor and you can--

• Make a difference in others' lives as well as your own.
• Train co-workers and others in your company or organization.
• Give your time to help others learn to save lives.
• Teach a variety of courses including first aid, CPR, water safety, babysitter training, and more.
• Gain valuable teaching experience--and receive great training.
• Put years of valuable teaching experience to good use.
• Benefit from top-notch Red Cross materials that make learning and teaching--easy and fun.

Are you the right person for the job?
An instructor is a member of a select group of trained and authorized individuals, who reflects the standards and ideals of the American Red Cross. Instructors teach American Red Cross programs within a chapter's jurisdiction and impart knowledge and skills consistent with American Red Cross policies, procedures, standards and guidelines. Here are some qualities we look for in American Red Cross instructors.

• Communication Skills. Do you speak clearly, listen carefully and use reinforcing body language?
• Subject Knowledge. Are you willing to develop a thorough knowledge of the course subject matter and keep abreast of new developments?
• Positive Attitude. Are you enthusiastic about a subject and anxious to share your enthusiasm with course participants?
• Patience and Flexibility. Can you patiently explain facts and answer questions? Are you flexible in meeting the diverse learning needs of students?
• Professional Behavior. Are you punctual, reliable, and able to manage a group of people and willing to follow rules and regulations?

Contact us today to find out more about becoming a Red Cross instructor!

Course Descriptions  

Fundamentals of Instructor Training - 4 hours
Audience: Individuals interested in becoming a Health and Safety Services Instructor.
Course Content: Introduces American Red Cross history, structure, polices, and activities. Provides instruction on assigning tasks, summarizing, and presentation skills. How to facilitate discussions and manage small task groups and provide positive feedback.
Prerequisite: 17 years of age or older.
Certificate Received: Fundamentals of Instructor Training. Candidates must complete an instructor specialty course within 1 year of completing FIT.

Babysitter's Training Instructor - 9 hours
Audience: Individuals interested in working with youth 11-15 years of age, to provide them with the information and skills necessary to provide safe and responsible care for children in the absence of parents or guardians. Certified instructors can join the volunteer instructor team for the American Red Cross or may become an authorized provider.
Prerequisite: 16 years or older, complete FIT, successfully complete the pre-test exam and skills evaluation. Current certification in Adult, Child and Infant CPR and First Aid is recommended.
Certificate Received: Babysitter's Training Instructor. Certificate valid for 2 years; ending on 12/31.

First Aid/CPR/AED For the Lay Responder Instructor - 16 hours
Audience: Individuals interested in teaching basic First Aid & CPR/AED. Upon the completion of this course, instructors may also teach from the following programs: First Aid/CPR/AED for the workplace and/or for the Schools and Community, Sports Safety Training and First Aid- Responding to Emergencies. Certified instructors can teach class to the general public as a volunteer instructor for the American Red Cross or may become an authorized provider.
Pre-Course Content: Participants must successfully complete the written pretest exam and skills evaluation in order to continue into the instructor course. Participants will be evaluated on Adult, Child, and Infant cardiac and breathing emergency skills, automated external defibrillator (AED) skills, and first aid skills.
Instructor Course Content: Includes information and teaching suggestions to help teach the following basic level courses: Adult CPR, Infant CPR, Child CPR, AED, first aid, or any combination.
Prerequisite: 17 years of age or older, successful completion of pre-course session and FIT.
Certificate Received: First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor certificate. Certificate is valid for 2 years, ending on 12/31.

CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer + Healthcare Provider Instructor - 4 hours
Audience: Public Safety personnel, athletic trainers, lifeguards, emergency response team members, training academy participants, and health care professionals.
Course Content: This is an add on to the Lay Responder Instructor course. Trains instructor candidates to teach participants how to recognize and care for breathing and cardiac emergencies in Adults, Children, and Infants, two-rescuer CPR, and use of breathing barriers and bag-valve masks. With additional training and self orientation to the materials, CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer instructors can also teach Administrating Emergency Oxygen and Bloodborne Pathogens Training: Preventing Disease Transmission.
Prerequisite: 17 years or older, pass the pre-test exam and skills evaluation. Also must have FIT, and be a current American Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED instructor.
Certificate Received: CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer Instructor. Certificate valid for 2 years, ending on 12/31.

Water Safety Instructor (WSI) - 34 hours
Course Content: Train instructor candidates to teach water safety, including the Basic Water Rescue and Personal Water Safety course, six levels of Learn-to-Swim, three levels of Preschool Aquatics and two levels of Parent and Child Aquatics. It is not designed to teach the required strokes, but develops the skills needed to instruct and plan the above courses. Fundamentals of Instructor Training, a prerequisite course to the WSI course, will be included in this training. Learning objectives include:

• Expand on information on the American Red Cross Fundamentals of Instructor Training course;
• Identify key elements and strategies for planning and preparing effective and safe swim lessons;
• Identify key class management principles, elements and strategies for planning, preparing and conducting safe swim lessons;
• Describe the importance of effective observation for teaching and how to develop it;
• Observe swimming skills and accurately classify them and suggest appropriate interventions to improve them.

Prerequisites: Be at least 16 years of age by the last scheduled session of the instructor course and successfully complete the precourse session.

Precourse Skills:

• Swim the following strokes consistent with American Red Cross Learn-To-Swim Level 4 Stroke Performance
  • Front Crawl-25 yards
  • Back Crawl-25 yards
  • Breaststroke-25 yards
  • Elementary Backstroke-25 yards
  • Sidestroke-25 yards
  • Butterfly-15 yards
• Maintain position on back 1 minute in deep water (floating or sculling)
• Tread water for 1 minute.

Lifeguard Instructor-26 hours
The purpose of this course is to train instructor candidates to teach basic-level Lifeguarding, Waterfront Lifeguarding, Waterpark Lifeguarding, Shallow Water Attendent, (all including first aid), Lifeguard Management, CPR/AED for Lifeguards, and optional programs such as Lifeguard Management, Administering Emergency Oxygen, and Bloodborne Pathogens Training. Instructor candidates will also become familiar with GuardStart: Lifeguarding Tomorrow and Water Safety presentations. This course prepares instructor candidates to use course and presentation materials, conduct training sessions and evaluates the progress of candidates in a professional-level course.

Prerequisites:

• Minimum age 17
• Possess a Fundamentals of Instructor Training certificate
• Pass each section of the precourse written exam and demonstrate competency in the skills evaluation

* There are no separate instructor courses for waterparks or waterfront instructors. A Lifeguarding Instructor who has completed a basic level course in waterpark and/or waterfront lifeguarding will be able to teach the Waterfront and/or Warterpark Lifeguarding courses.

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