Important
Effective February 2026, our classic four-course (368-hour) Emergency Medical Responder certificate (which included EMRG 001, 003, 102, and 106) is being reintroduced as a streamlined two-course (280-hour) program (including the new combined course EMRG 007 and our existing EMRG 102). If you are currently enrolled in the four-course certificate and need assistance with completion, please contact ConEdAdvising@sait.ca. Note: To be eligible for this certificate, you must meet all mandatory prerequisites and eligibility requirements and submit documentation when applying to EMRG 007 Emergency Medical Response: Core to Advanced.
Overview
Across Alberta, there is a continued need for qualified Emergency Medical Responders (EMRs) who can support patients and EMS teams in fast-moving situations. SAIT's Emergency Medical Responder certificate program is approved by the Alberta College of Paramedics (ACoP) and meets all required provincial training program standards. This certificate consists of two required courses that together prepare you with the entry-level knowledge, practical skills, and professional judgment needed for EMR practice in Alberta. To work as a licensed EMR, you must also complete the provincial certification process through the ACoP.
Guided by licensed instructors with real field experience, you’ll learn through a blended model that combines online, self-directed study with mandatory in-person skills labs. You’ll also complete the program’s Ride Along requirement after both courses, where you support EMS professionals in real prehospital settings. During these shifts, you’ll demonstrate professionalism through appropriate patient engagement and observe how trained responders apply the skills and judgment you’ve developed throughout the program.
Most learners complete the certificate in eight to ten consecutive weeks. Throughout the program, you’ll build competence in patient assessment, trauma and medical response, communication, scene safety, and equipment use — while also strengthening resilience, situational awareness, and the mindset needed to perform effectively under pressure. The program is fast-paced and requires strong self-management, as you’ll be expected to learn theoretical content independently and arrive at labs ready to apply what you’ve studied.
By the end of the program, you’ll be prepared to approach real emergency situations with clarity and confidence: able to assess what you’re seeing, make informed decisions, provide safe initial care within your scope, and collaborate with other responders using professionalism and sound judgment.
This program is ideal if you:
- are preparing for a career as an Emergency Medical Responder
- want to strengthen an application for fire or wildfire services
- are applying to work as a Remote Safety Officer.
To be eligible to take this course, you must be at least 18 years of age and:
- provide proof that you’ve completed the following required high school-level courses:
- at least 50% in English Language Arts 30-1 or English Language Arts 30-2; and
- at least 50% in Math 10C or Pure Math 10 or Math 20-1 or Math 20-2 or Applied Math 20; and
- at least 50% Biology 30 or Science 30 (or SAIT’s Open Studies course, ANPH 209 Anatomy and Physiology); and
- have a Basic Life Support (BLS) Provider certificate issued by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada within the past six months; and
- demonstrate English language proficiency (English Language Arts 30-1 or 30-2 accepted as proof).
Contact us for more clarification on high school prerequisites and equivalencies and how Academic Upgrading and Open Studies can help you fill any gaps for admission into the EMR certificate program.
Note: If you are a firefighter, nurse, or other first responder who is not intending to complete the EMR certificate program, but would like to register for EMRG 102 ITLS Basic Provider, contact ConEdAdvising@sait.ca.
Program outline
To earn this certificate, you are required to successfully complete the two courses listed below and an industry Ride Along. You must complete EMRG 007 Emergency Medical Response: Core to Advanced before taking the EMRG 102 ITLS Basic Provider course. You may book your 16-hour Ride Along requirement after you have completed the EMRG 007 final exam (theory and in-person components), however, you may not participate in your booked Ride Along shifts until you have completed EMRG 102 with a passing grade.
Required courses & electives
How to apply for this certificate
Once you have registered for any course offered in this certificate, you will be automatically eligible to complete the certificate. You will have up to three years to complete this program. You may track your progression by signing in to your Continuing Education student account.
Certifications and professional designations
Upon successful completion of all the required courses in this certificate program and the Ride Along, you’ll receive an electronically issued official SAIT Certificate of Achievement and transcript. Note that parchments are not issued for individual courses.
To work as a designated EMR professional in Alberta, you must register with the Alberta College of Paramedics and hold an active practice permit. This requires submitting a registration application and successfully passing the COPR (Canadian Organization of Paramedic Regulators) examination within one year of finishing your SAIT certificate program.
Costs
This program consists of two mandatory courses, each with its own fee. Please review the individual course pages for detailed costs and information about required learning materials, including textbooks and supplies.
Note: An EMR uniform is required for the Ride Along component with our pre-approved industry partner providers and must be purchased separately (approx. $350). Additional details will be provided once you begin the program.
Financial support
Financial opportunities are available to help pay for your course fees. Learn more about how to reduce your education or training costs with available awards, bursaries, loans and grants, including the Canada Alberta Productivity Grant.
Careers and opportunities
Upon successful completion of this program and with an active practice permit from the Alberta College of Paramedics, you may find employment as a registered EMR in various settings, including fire and wildfire response, remote safety operations, and other emergency or industrial environments.
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SAIT is located on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of Treaty 7 which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Îyârhe Nakoda of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney.
We are situated in an area the Blackfoot tribes traditionally called Moh’kinsstis, where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. We now call it the city of Calgary, which is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta.