Health & Safety

For nearly a century, the American Red Cross has prepared people to save lives through health and safety education and training. From first aid, CPR and bloodborne pathogens training to swimming and lifeguarding, HIV/AIDS education and Babysitter’s Training, American Red Cross Preparedness programs help people lead safer and healthier lives. The Red Cross constantly strives to respond to the preparedness concerns of Americans at home, in school and in the workplace. Today’s innovative programs also include teaching lay persons and professionals how to use automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to save victims of sudden cardiac arrest. Last year, nearly 11 million people enrolled in American Red Cross health and safety courses.

Please visit our Health & Safety Course Calendar at the link below for the most up-to-date listing of courses being offered: Health & Safety Calendar.

Get Trained

Local Red Cross Instructor Information

Interested in becoming an instructor? A Red Cross-trained instructor can provide American Red Cross health and safety programs in-house. By becoming an Instructor, you can teach health and safety courses to employees of your business or members of your organization.

Becoming a Red Cross Instructor gives your organization more flexibility:

Build the health and safety program that’s right for you. Many of our courses have a modular format, enabling you to customize the program to the needs of your organization. New, streamlined Workplace Training Programs mean shorter instruction time, making it even easier to fit training into busy schedules. By becoming a Red Cross Instructor, you can conduct classes for your organization when and wherever you choose. Plus, you become the in-house expert and have direct technical support from American Red Cross chapters.

Your organization will benefit in many ways

By becoming a Red Cross Instructor, you can:
–Offer training as a benefit for your employees or members
–Address regulatory issues specific to your business or industry
–Train large groups cost effectively
–Become the in-house expert familiar with site-specific emergency procedures and equipment
that is unique to your business or industry
–Meet training needs on a regular basis and at your convenience

Red Cross Instructors are part of many types of organizations:

There are already many organizations like yours that have in-house Red Cross Instructors. These include: businesses, child care centers, clubs and community groups, colleges and universities, government agencies, fire and rescue services, recreational facilities (including pools), religious organizations, schools, camps, youth organizations, and individuals who would like to provide Red Cross courses in their communities.
Becoming an Authorized Provider involves entering into an Authorized Provider Agreement with the American Red Cross. Please contact Crystal Moran at (304) 725-5015 for more information for Jefferson and Morgan counties and Samuel Bunner at (304) 263-5241 for more information for Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy and Pendleton counties.

Workplace Training
Prepare a Safer Workplace and Protect Your Most Valuable Asset: Your Employees

From CPR, first aid and automated external defibrillator (AED) training to injury prevention courses, bloodborne pathogens training and community disaster preparedness education, Red Cross training offers complete, flexible programs that help your company stay prepared for virtually any life-threatening situation. First Aid/CPR/AED training courses combine lecture, demonstrations and video with hands-on training in a ‘practice-while-you-watch’ format. And because the American Red Cross is a member of the OSHA Alliance, you can be sure your employees are receiving the highest quality information and training available to help prevent injuries, illnesses and fatalities in the workplace.

View a Demonstration of Web-based Blended Learning Now Available in Limited Areas

Is your company in compliance with OSHA standards for first aid training and emergency preparedness?

The following online resources are also available to assist your disaster preparedness efforts for your business:

Preparing Your Business for the Unthinkable
Guide to Business Continuity Planning CD-ROM
The Emergency Management Guide for Business and Industry

Build the program that works for your business using our modular curriculum.

Instructor Information

Job Title: HEALTH & SAFETY INSTRUCTOR
Department: HEALTH & SAFETY
Reports To: HEALTH & SAFETY DIRECTOR
Date Revised: 10/07/07

Summary

A Health & Safety Instructor is a trained and authorized instructor whose teaching, whether paid or volunteered, is conducted in accordance with the American Red Cross programs within the Eastern Panhandle chapter’s jurisdiction and imparts knowledge and skills consistent with the American Red Cross policies, procedures, standards and guidelines.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities (other duties may be assigned)

Ensures availability to teach a minimum number of classes required.
Prepares accurate Course Records for training delivered and completed.
Administers and collects Course Evaluations for training delivered and completed.
Sends completed Course Records and Course Evaluations to chapter’s designated administrator.
Checks equipment for good working order and safety before and after class and reports any problems to the chapter’s designated administrator.
Prepares class training supplies, equipment and materials for pick-up and return to chapter for return to inventory and cleaning.
Conducts training as defined in Basic and Instructor Course Fact Sheets.
Assesses the competency of class participants as they prepare for certification. Administers practical and written exam(s) as required by course.
Maintains the instructor responsibilities and standards of an American Red Cross Instructor as described in MAPP and keeps authorizations current.
Markets and promotes all health, safety, and community services delivery systems as required.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions:
Minimum high school diploma (or equivalent) and six months related experience and/or training [combination of experience and education is also acceptable].
Ability to read, analyze, interpret, and write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals using proper spelling and grammar.
Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions form groups of managers, clients, customers, and to the public.
Ability to listen effectively and respond to people with varied skills and abilities.
Ability to calculate figures and amounts; such as hours worked, budget information, etc. Must have ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
Successful completion of Instructor Training and specialty training.
Ability to manage multiple projects in condensed time frame, attend to detail, and learn quickly.
Must be available to work evenings and weekends as required.
Ability to work with people in groups, one-on-one, and in problem solving situations.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing this job, the employee must stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to sit. Must lift up to 25lbs. Specific vision abilities required by this job include peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.

Aquatics

It is the mission of the American Red Cross to help people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Commodore Wilbert E. Longfellow brought this philosophy to aquatics in 1914 when he started the American Red Cross Life Saving Corps. This program was the first of its kind, and it contributed to a dramatic reduction in the number of lives lost as a result of drowning. Since 1914, the Red Cross has continued to expand upon Commodore Longfellow’s early lifesaving innovations. Today’s American Red Cross Lifeguarding program consists of courses, products and services that thoroughly train individuals to meet the mission of the Red Cross and to save lives.

Lifeguarding
American Red Cross Lifeguarding offers the highest quality training standards in skill instruction, professional lifeguard responsibilities, first aid and CPR/AED training. It consists of four stand-alone, courses to teaches surveillance and rescue skills for a specific water environment, including:

Lifeguarding – for facilities with traditional pools
Waterfront Lifeguarding – for facilities with non-surf, open-water environments such as lakes and rivers, as well as traditional pools
Waterpark Lifeguarding – for waterpark environments, multi-attraction facilities and traditional pools
Shallow Water Attendant – for facilities with shallow water attractions up to 4 feet deep such as catch basins at the foot of slides, winding rivers and kiddie pools

Also under the Lifeguarding umbrella are:

GuardStart: Lifeguarding Tomorrow
GuardStart: Lifeguarding Tomorrow is a program for 11-14 year-olds that provides a foundation of aquatic and leadership knowledge, attitudes, and skills for future successful completion of an American Red Cross Lifeguarding course.
The GuardStart curriculum contains multiple units in five categories (prevention, fitness, response, leadership, professionalism), with the entire program totaling fifty lessons. GuardStart is designed to be flexible, including the length of the course and the order of the lessons. There is no instructor authorization required to lead the GuardStart program. It is led by program and activity leaders.
Lifeguard Management
Lifeguard Management is designed to teach aquatic managers and lifeguard supervisors how to effectively manage lifeguards and keep patrons, lifeguards and facilities safe. The course, which is approximately 7¼ hours in length, includes information on the selection and training of lifeguards, management topics, record and report templates and nearly 100 in-service training outlines.