CPR, AED and general first aid for individuals
Learn life-saving skills: cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), automated external defibrillator (AED) use, and first aid for you and your loved ones.
Upcoming sessions
Saturday
14:00
Cours RCR et DEA
4865 Beaubien est, Montréal, QC H1T 1T8
Training delivered by Formations Laissi
Saturday
14:00
Formation RCR DEA - Niveau C
4865 Beaubien est, Montréal, QC H1T 1T8
Training delivered by Formations Laissi
Monday
09:00
Formation RCR et DEA certifiée Croix-Rouge à Montréal et Laval
4865 Beaubien est, Montréal, QC H1T 1T8
Training delivered by Formations Laissi
Monday
09:00
Secourisme de base/d'urgence RCR/DEA niveau C 8h — Croix-Rouge canadienne
4865 Beaubien est, Montréal, QC H1T 1T8
Training delivered by Formations Laissi
Sunday
09:00
Gardiens avertis 8h — Croix-Rouge canadienne
7501 Francois Perreault, Montreal, Qc salle 106. H2A 1M1
Training delivered by Formations Laissi
Sunday
09:00
Prêts à rester seuls ! 6h — Croix-Rouge canadienne
7501 Francois Perreault, Montreal, Qc salle 016. H2A 1M1
Training delivered by Formations Laissi
No law requires a private individual to take first aid training. That is exactly what makes the choice harder: with no requirement to meet, you do not know where to start. The right question is not “which course is best”, but “who might I have to help”. A parent of an infant, someone caring for an elderly relative and a person who simply wants to know what to do do not need the same course.
CPR and first aid training for the general public
CPR for adults, children and infants
Automated external defibrillator (AED) use
Choking, bleeding, burns and allergic reactions
Ideal for parents, babysitters and the general public
Not sure which one applies to you?
The text above targets several jobs, and not in the same way. Three questions — your role, your situation, your city — and we name the course the regulation expects of you.
Answer the 3 questions All coursesChoose based on the people around you
CPR courses come in levels, and the letter corresponds to who is covered.
- Level A — adults: cardiac emergencies, choking, stroke, severe bleeding.
- “Level B” is no longer part of the Red Cross program. If you are offered one, ask what it covers.
- Level C — all of Level A, plus children and babies. The most complete.
Worth checking — The letter used can vary from one certifying body to another. What matters is not the letter but the coverage: if there is an infant at home, make sure the course actually covers infants.
CPR alone or full first aid?
A two to five hour CPR/AED course prepares you for one precise and frequent scenario: cardiac arrest, choking, using a defibrillator. It is short, concrete, and it covers the situation where minutes matter most.
An 8 or 16 hour general first aid course widens to everything else: bleeding, burns, fractures, poisoning, allergic reactions, sudden illness. The first prepares you for a scenario; the second for a range of situations. If you are hesitating, the time you have available often decides better than theory.
What you actually learn in a day
The core of a first aid course is not read, it is repeated. You practise compressions on a manikin until depth and rhythm become automatic, you handle a training defibrillator, you redo choking manoeuvres on an adult and then on an infant mannequin.
That is also why a fully online course does not carry the same recognition: theory can be learned on screen, practical assessment cannot. Some courses combine both, with an online part followed by a shorter in-room session.
Which course for your situation
Four situations cover the vast majority of individual registrations.
| Your situation | The course to aim for | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Parent or grandparent of an infant or young child | CPR/AED level C, or infant and child first aid | Covers infant-specific manoeuvres, which differ from adult ones. |
| Caregiver for an elderly relative | CPR/AED, or general first aid | Cardiac arrest and sudden illness are the most likely situations. |
| Wanting to be useful in any circumstance | General first aid, 8 h or 16 h | Covers injuries and emergencies beyond cardiac arrest. |
| Card already earned, expiring soon | Renewal format | Shorter, provided you do not let the expiry date pass. |
Courses
Formation hybride RCR/DEA niveau C : théorie en ligne et pratique à Montréal
Formation hybride RCR/DEA niveau C certifiée par la Fondation des maladies du cœur et de l'AVC : la partie théorique se fait en ligne, chez vous (environ 3 heures), suivie d'un examen. Une fois votre certificat théorique obtenu, vous complétez une heure de pratique dans nos locaux, à la date et à l'heure choisies lors de l'inscription.
Formation hybride SIR : théorie en ligne et pratique à Montréal
Formation hybride SIR certifiée par la Fondation des maladies du cœur et de l'AVC : la partie théorique se fait en ligne, chez vous (environ 3 heures), suivie d'un examen. Une fois votre certificat théorique obtenu, vous complétez une heure de pratique dans nos locaux, à la date et à l'heure choisies lors de l'inscription.
Cours RCR et DEA
Suite à cette formation, vous aurez acquis les compétences nécessaires pour reconnaître les urgences cardiovasculaires et les obstructions chez les adultes, les enfants et les bébés.
Formation RCR DEA - Niveau C
Suite à ce cours, vous serez en mesure d’appliquer les protocoles d’intervention en présence d’une personne en détresse cardiaque, adulte, enfant ou nourrisson.
Formation RCR et DEA certifiée Croix-Rouge à Montréal et Laval
Apprenez les techniques de réanimation cardiorespiratoire (RCR) et l'utilisation du défibrillateur (DEA) avec une certification officielle de la Croix-Rouge canadienne. Formation disponible à Montréal et Laval.
Gardiens avertis 8h — Croix-Rouge canadienne
Cours officiel Gardiens avertis pour les jeunes de 11 à 15 ans souhaitant faire du gardiennage en toute sécurité. Certifié par la Croix-Rouge canadienne.
After the training: why come back
A CPR/AED certification is usually valid for two years, general first aid for three. The date is on your certificate.
These deadlines are not an administrative formality. Skills fade — that is documented and normal — and guidelines evolve. Retaking the course is above all about recovering the reflex: when the moment comes, no one will have time to remember.
Frequently asked questions
Are there prerequisites?
No. Public courses are aimed at people without medical training and require no prerequisites. Most end with a practical assessment carried out during the session.
Which level should I choose if I have children?
Level C, which covers adult, child and infant. Manoeuvres on a baby are nothing like those on an adult: an adult-focused course will not prepare you for them.
Is online training enough?
For learning, it helps a great deal. For the card, it depends on the body: those whose courses are offered here assess skills on a manikin, in person. Blended formats let you do the theory at home and shorten the in-room session.
Is a defibrillator hard to use?
No, and that is precisely what the course demonstrates. The device analyses the heart rhythm and guides you out loud, step by step. The difficulty is not technical: it is daring to use it.
How long is a course?
From an hour and a half for an introduction to sixteen hours for general first aid. Available durations are shown on each course, along with open dates.
Not sure which one applies to you?
The text above targets several jobs, and not in the same way. Three questions — your role, your situation, your city — and we name the course the regulation expects of you.
Answer the 3 questionsRead next
To go further before choosing.