Skip repetitive links and navigation elements
Last Updated: Wednesday, January 11, 2006 at 12:41 PM EDT

Health, Safety, and Community Services Help Center

Page Tools

Print this page E-mail this page
Search for information by keyword
Health, Safety, Community, Services, red cross

Where can I find CPR/First Aid/Aquatics course schedules and pricing?

All our course descriptions, schedules and associated costs can be found on our Health and Safety Services section.

Where does the American Red Cross of Central Florida offer training?

We offer courses in Orange, Osceola & Seminole counties. To find out if a course is offered in your desired location, visit the classroom locations page.

How can a company arrange for first aid training for its employees?

We can help! The Red Cross offers a variety of customizable training programs for your workplace or organization. Select from our core courses including Workplace Training: Standard First Aid and Adult CPR/AED. Then choose from our supplemental modules: Bloodborne Pathogens; Ergonomics; Slips, Trips, and Falls; Back Injury Prevention; Workplace Violence Awareness; Managing Stress; Oxygen Administration; and Your Heart Matters. We also have a Workplace HIV/AIDS Program that includes Spanish language materials with facts about HIV transmission and prevention that are written specifically for the workplace.

Can a Red Cross representative deliver a presentation at my location?

Red Cross representatives can deliver presentations to community groups, corporations or agencies. Here is a list of available presentations:

Can I take a class if I have a medical condition or a special educational need?

We will make accommodations for medical conditions and disabilities; however, certification may vary. Please contact the Health, Safety and Community Services department at (407) 894-4141 extension 5642 or email at mail@centralfl-redcross.org for more information or to prearrange for your class.

Will I have to actively participate in class?

Most of our courses utilize videos, group discussion and skills practice. Certification requires that you attend all class sessions and pass both skills and written testing.

You will be asked to participate in hands on activities throughout the class. Please wear comfortable clothing because some of these classes will be on the floor. Although starting times are firm, ending times are approximate.

What if I'm late to class?

The core of most programs is taught at the beginning of class and starting times are firm. Late arrivals may be admitted at the discretion of the instructor, but certification may be affected.

Can I transfer or cancel a class?

We request that you give us two full working days notice (Monday through Friday, excluding holidays) by calling (407) 894-4141 so that we may fill your space. Although we will make every effort to accommodate your request, refunds and transfers may not be honored after that time. A re-registration fee will be assessed if we cannot fill your space or if you miss your scheduled class. A $10 processing fee will be assessed for all refunds. If you have registered for a class online and wish to cancel, please note that you must call (407) 894-4141 as we do not accept cancellations via email at this time.

How can I take an HIV/AIDS education course?

The American Red Cross of Central Florida offers nationally standardized HIV/AIDS education programs for the community and the workplace. In particular, we serve diverse communities with our African American HIV/AIDS Program and Hispanic HIV/AIDS Program. These courses use culturally specific materials and activities to help people adopt prevention behaviors to protect themselves and others from HIV . We also have multimedia materials expressly for youth.

For those persons who have been recommended to take an HIV /AIDS course for a work or other requirement, we offer the 4-hour HIV 104 course which has been approved by the State of Florida.

Does Red Cross offer Continuing Education?

Contact Hours are available for many of our Health and Safety Classes. Not all classes represent classes available for CEU credit so you must check availability prior to registration. Students must pre-register for contact hour credit. The participant's drivers' and other applicable licenses must be presented at the class for verification. We are approved by the following agencies to provide contact hours:

Can I receive replacements for lost certificates?

We can issue replacement certificates for courses taught in Orange, Osceola or Seminole counties, provided that they are still valid. We will ask you to provide the course completion dates, course name, and the location where you took the class. There will be a $5 processing fee for each replacement certificate.

Can I get sick using a manikin?

The American Red Cross and American Heart Association have trained more than 50 million people in lifesaving skills. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there has never been a reported case of any infectious disease transmitted through the use of CPR manikins.

The Red Cross follows widely accepted guidelines for the cleaning and decontamination of training manikins. When these guidelines are consistently followed and basic personal hygiene (i.e. frequent hand-washing) is practiced, the risk of any kind of disease transmission during CPR is extremely low.

To minimize the risk of disease transmission, you should follow some basic health precautions while participating in training. You should take precautions if you have a condition that would increase your risk or other participants' risk of exposure to infection.

What if I have a respiratory ailment or other infection?

If training cannot be postponed, you can request your own manikin by calling our office ahead of time. Your manikin will not be used by anyone else until it has been cleaned according to the recommended end-of-class decontamination procedures.

Request a separate manikin if you:

What is an Authorized Provider?

An Authorized Provider is an individual or organization that has a Red Cross-trained instructor who can provide American Red Cross Health & Safety programs in-house. By becoming an Authorized Provider, you can build your own training team to teach Health & Safety courses to employees of your business or members of your organization. Becoming an Authorized Provider gives your organization more flexibility. Build the Health & 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 and even blended/online courses mean shorter instruction time, making it even easier to fit training into busy schedules. By becoming an Authorized Provider, your organization can conduct classes when and wherever you choose. Plus, you have in-house experts available when you need them and direct technical support from American Red Cross chapters. Your organization will benefit in many ways. By becoming an Authorized Provider, you can:

Red Cross Authorized Providers include many types of organizations. There are already many organizations like yours who have signed on as Authorized Providers. These include:

Contact your American Red Cross of Central Florida at (407) 894-4141 or mail@centralfl-redcross.org for more information.

My company has offices in other cities that are outside the jurisdiction of my American Red Cross of Central Florida. Can I train employees in other cities?

Yes. Our nationwide network of American Red Cross chapters makes it easy for you to train employees throughout the country. For more information about training employees in multiple locations, contact your American Red Cross of Central Florida at (407) 894-4141 or mail@centralfl-redcross.org to inquire about our National Account Network or an extended instructor authorization.

How old do you have to be to be trained as an American Red Cross babysitter?

Participants must be 11 years of age by the last scheduled course date to receive a certificate for American Red Cross Babysitter's Training. This age was selected as most states require children to be 11 before they can be left alone for short periods without adult supervision.

Do you have a referral list of certified American Red Cross babysitters?

We are just starting a babysitter referral program. Upon approval from a parent or guardian, the American Red Cross of Central Florida may release the babysitter's first name and telephone number for one requested zip code only. This is for our babysitter's safety, and we appreciate your support of this policy. For more information on the Babysitter Referral Program, call (407) 894-4141 extension 5641 or email LeonC@CentralFL-RedCross.org.

What is sudden cardiac arrest (SCA)?

Sudden cardiac arrest cases are usually due to abnormal heart rhythms called arrhythmias, the vast majority of which are ventricular fibrillation. Ventricular fibrillation is a condition in which the heart's electrical impulses suddenly become chaotic, causing the heart to cease pumping blood effectively. Victims of SCA collapse and quickly lose consciousness, often without warning. Unless a normal heart rhythm is restored, death will follow within a matter of minutes.

The cause of sudden cardiac arrest is not well understood. Many victims have no history of heart disease, or if heart disease is present, it has not functionally impaired them. Unlike a heart attack, which is the death of muscle tissue from loss of blood supply, many victims of SCA have no prior symptoms. SCA can strike anyone, at any time, anywhere.

SCA is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. It strikes about 250,000 Americans each year: nearly one death every two minutes.

What is an automated external defibrillator (AED)?

An AED is a device about the size of a laptop computer that analyzes the heart's rhythm for any abnormalities and, if necessary, directs the rescuer to deliver an electrical shock to the victim. This shock, called defibrillation, may help the heart to reestablish an effective rhythm of its own.

An AED is easy to operate. It uses voice prompts to instruct the rescuer. Once the machine is turned on, the rescuer will be prompted to apply two electrodes provided with the AED to the victim's chest. Once applied, the AED will begin to monitor the victim's heart rhythm. If a "shockable" rhythm is detected, the machine will charge itself and instruct the rescuer to stand clear of the victim and to press the shock button.

How can I get trained in the use of an AED?

Contact your American Red Cross of Central Florida for a listing of training classes. The Red Cross offers both classroom-only and blended/online courses that include CPR and AED skills and comprehensive sessions that also include first aid. These interactive courses are taught by certified Red Cross instructors and use hands-on practice scenarios and videos that reflect a variety of situations.

Can I buy an AED for my workplace?

According to FDA rules, a physician prescription is needed in order to purchase an AED. This means that the medical director of a facility or a physician used by such facility must prescribe and oversee the AED program at any workplace or other facility that houses an AED. For more information on the purchase or lease of an AED, call (407) 894-4141 extension 5641 or email LeonC@CentralFL-RedCross.org.

How old do you have to be to take a Red Cross Lifeguarding course?

You need to be at least 15 years old by the last scheduled class date to take the Red Cross Lifeguarding course. If you're 11- to 14-years old and interested in future work as a lifeguard, you can take GuardStart: Lifeguarding Tomorrow. We also offer other programs of interest to lifeguards, such as Waterfront Lifeguarding, Waterpark Lifeguarding, Automated External Defibrillation, and Oxygen Administration.

How do I become a lifeguard?

An authorized American Red Cross lifeguarding instructor can certify you as a qualified lifeguard after guiding you successfully through the comprehensive Red Cross 40-hour Lifeguard Training program, which includes water rescue skills and professional-level CPR techniques. You can take this program by registering for a course with American Red Cross of Central Florida by calling (407) 894-4141 extension 5663 or any organization staffed by certified Red Cross lifeguarding instructors.

Where does the American Red Cross teach swimming lessons?

Just like Lifeguard Training, the American Red Cross teaches aquatics programs such as swimming lessons training through our Authorized Providers. For a list of our aquatics Authorized Providers by county, click here.

Does the Red Cross offer EMT training?

No, the American Red Cross does not offer Emergency Medical Technician Training. For information on EMT training, call your local community college.

Anti-Discrimination Policy

No person will be excluded from service or classes because of race, ethnic origin, religion, handicap, gender or sexual orientation.

^top of page | link to us | send to a friend | privacy policy
Headquarters: 5 North Bumby Avenue, Orlando, Florida 32803 Phone: (407) 894-4141