Class FAQs
Preparedness, health and safety class FAQs
1). How long is my American Red Cross certification valid?
It depends on the course you're taking—CPR certification is valid for one year, CPR for the Professional Rescuer is valid for two years and First Aid certification is valid for three years. For most Red Cross CPR courses, you can take a review course to renew your certification, which consists of a review of the material in the program, followed by a test. You must have taken a CPR class within the past year (or within the past two years for CPR/AED for Healthare Providers and Professional Rescuers) in order to take a review course.
2). I took CPR a few years ago. Can I take a review course?
No. In order to take a review course, you must have must have taken a CPR class within the past year (or within the past two years for CPR/AED for Healthare Providers and Professional Rescuers).
3). If I have been certified by another organization, am I elible for a review class?
Possibly. The American Red Cross and the American Heart Association have a reciprocal agreement recognizing each other's certifications as valid; therefore, if you were certified by the American Heart Association within the past year, you would be eligible for the review class. If you were certified by another organization, you may be eligible to challenge the review class.
4). How can I get a replacement card?
Call our Preparedness, Health and Safety department at (714) 481-5355. You’ll need to know the date, location and title of the class as well as the instructor’s name. The cost for a duplicate certificate is $10 per certificate issued and replacements will only be issued if the certification is still valid.
5). How can I pay for a class?
Payment options are based on your registration method: on-line, phone or fax registrations must be paid for using a
credit card; mailed-in forms can be paid with a check or money order; in-person payments can be made with cash, check, money order or credit cards.
6). What are classes like?
Most of our courses utilize videos, group discussion and skills practice. You will be asked to participate in hands-on
activities throughout the class. Please wear comfortable clothing because some of these activities will take place on the
floor. Certification requires that you attend all class sessions and pass both skills and written testing.
7). Can I take a class with a medical condition or special educational need?
We will make accommodations for medical conditions and disabilities; however, certification levels may vary. Please
contact the Preparedness, Health and Safety department at (714) 481-5355 or by e-mail at
safety@oc-redcross.org for more
information or to pre-arrange accommodations for your class.
8). 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 are admitted at the discretion of the instructor, but certification may be affected. If you are too late or miss your scheduled class, your course fees may be forfeited and a re-registration fee may be assessed to register for another class.
9). Can I transfer or cancel a class?
We request that you give three full working days notice (Monday to Friday, excluding holidays) by calling (714) 481-5355 to transfer or cancel a class. Although we will make every effort to accommodate your request, refunds and transfers may not be honored within the three working days. Participants are only able to reschedule once. A re-registration fee will be assessed if we cannot fill your space or if you miss your scheduled class. A 10 to 25% 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 (714) 481-5355 as we do not accept cancellations via email at this time. Note: Students who register within the two working days prior to the class will be committed to the class and there will be NO refunds or transfers allowed.
10). Can I get sick using a mannequin?
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, there has never been a reported case of any infectious disease transmitted through the use of CPR mannequins. The Red Cross follows widely accepted guidelines for the cleaning and decontamination of training mannequins. When these guidelines are consistently followed and basic personal hygiene (e.g. frequent hand-washing) is practiced, the risk of any kind of disease transmission during CPR is extremely low.
11). Can I attend if I have a respiratory ailment or other infection?
If training cannot be postponed, or if you have an acute condition or a positive test for certain viruses, you can request your own mannequin by calling our office ahead of time at (714) 481-5355. Your mannequin will not be used by anyone else until it has been cleaned according to the recommended end-of-class decontamination procedures.
1). How much do the classes cost?
All Red Cross disaster volunteer classes are free.
2). Where are the classes taught?
All classes are taught at the Orange County Chapter’s training building at 600 Parkcenter Drive in Santa Ana.
View
a map of our location or
get directions.
3). Can I take Disaster Services classes at other chapters of the Red Cross?
Yes, you can take Red Cross Disaster Services classes taught by any Red Cross chapter. With the exception of locally-
developed chapter workshops, all American Red Cross classes are the same. To gain credit from a class offered at
another chapter, you must provide your course completion certificate to Orange County Chapter.
4). How long is a class?
You should assume that all classes last their scheduled time. You may not receive a completion certificate if you arrive
too late or leave early.
5). Can I take a class without taking the class prerequisites?
No, the prerequisites are required. Each class builds on the material taught in the prerequisite course(s).
6). Why does the training schedule show no classes after December or June?
The chapter produces training schedules for 6 month periods. The January to June schedule should be available after
December 1 and the July to December schedule after June 1.
7). Why was my class canceled?
Classes may be canceled for a number of reasons, but are most frequently cancelled if the minimum number of
participants to hold the class is not met.
8). How do I register for disaster volunteer classes?
You can register
on-line, by calling (714) 481-5331 or e-mailing
destrg@oc-redcross.org. Please include your name,
daytime phone number and the name and date of the class you want to register for.
9). Why can’t I register for a particular class online?
We do not allow online or phone registrations for certain classes that have specific prerequisites that must be met prior
to registration.
Class FAQs
Preparedness, health and safety class FAQs
1). How long is my American Red Cross certification valid?
It depends on the course you're taking—CPR certification is valid for one year, CPR for the Professional Rescuer is valid for two years and First Aid certification is valid for three years. For most Red Cross CPR courses, you can take a review course to renew your certification, which consists of a review of the material in the program, followed by a test. You must have taken a CPR class within the past year (or within the past two years for CPR/AED for Healthare Providers and Professional Rescuers) in order to take a review course.
2). I took CPR a few years ago. Can I take a review course?
No. In order to take a review course, you must have must have taken a CPR class within the past year (or within the past two years for CPR/AED for Healthare Providers and Professional Rescuers).
3). If I have been certified by another organization, am I elible for a review class?
Possibly. The American Red Cross and the American Heart Association have a reciprocal agreement recognizing each other's certifications as valid; therefore, if you were certified by the American Heart Association within the past year, you would be eligible for the review class. If you were certified by another organization, you may be eligible to challenge the review class.
4). How can I get a replacement card?
Call our Preparedness, Health and Safety department at (714) 481-5355. You’ll need to know the date, location and title of the class as well as the instructor’s name. The cost for a duplicate certificate is $10 per certificate issued and replacements will only be issued if the certification is still valid.
5). How can I pay for a class?
Payment options are based on your registration method: on-line, phone or fax registrations must be paid for using a
credit card; mailed-in forms can be paid with a check or money order; in-person payments can be made with cash, check, money order or credit cards.
6). What are classes like?
Most of our courses utilize videos, group discussion and skills practice. You will be asked to participate in hands-on
activities throughout the class. Please wear comfortable clothing because some of these activities will take place on the
floor. Certification requires that you attend all class sessions and pass both skills and written testing.
7). Can I take a class with a medical condition or special educational need?
We will make accommodations for medical conditions and disabilities; however, certification levels may vary. Please
contact the Preparedness, Health and Safety department at (714) 481-5355 or by e-mail at
safety@oc-redcross.org for more
information or to pre-arrange accommodations for your class.
8). 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 are admitted at the discretion of the instructor, but certification may be affected. If you are too late or miss your scheduled class, your course fees may be forfeited and a re-registration fee may be assessed to register for another class.
9). Can I transfer or cancel a class?
We request that you give three full working days notice (Monday to Friday, excluding holidays) by calling (714) 481-5355 to transfer or cancel a class. Although we will make every effort to accommodate your request, refunds and transfers may not be honored within the three working days. Participants are only able to reschedule once. A re-registration fee will be assessed if we cannot fill your space or if you miss your scheduled class. A 10 to 25% 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 (714) 481-5355 as we do not accept cancellations via email at this time. Note: Students who register within the two working days prior to the class will be committed to the class and there will be NO refunds or transfers allowed.
10). Can I get sick using a mannequin?
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, there has never been a reported case of any infectious disease transmitted through the use of CPR mannequins. The Red Cross follows widely accepted guidelines for the cleaning and decontamination of training mannequins. When these guidelines are consistently followed and basic personal hygiene (e.g. frequent hand-washing) is practiced, the risk of any kind of disease transmission during CPR is extremely low.
11). Can I attend if I have a respiratory ailment or other infection?
If training cannot be postponed, or if you have an acute condition or a positive test for certain viruses, you can request your own mannequin by calling our office ahead of time at (714) 481-5355. Your mannequin will not be used by anyone else until it has been cleaned according to the recommended end-of-class decontamination procedures.
1). How much do the classes cost?
All Red Cross disaster volunteer classes are free.
2). Where are the classes taught?
All classes are taught at the Orange County Chapter’s training building at 600 Parkcenter Drive in Santa Ana.
View
a map of our location or
get directions.
3). Can I take Disaster Services classes at other chapters of the Red Cross?
Yes, you can take Red Cross Disaster Services classes taught by any Red Cross chapter. With the exception of locally-
developed chapter workshops, all American Red Cross classes are the same. To gain credit from a class offered at
another chapter, you must provide your course completion certificate to Orange County Chapter.
4). How long is a class?
You should assume that all classes last their scheduled time. You may not receive a completion certificate if you arrive
too late or leave early.
5). Can I take a class without taking the class prerequisites?
No, the prerequisites are required. Each class builds on the material taught in the prerequisite course(s).
6). Why does the training schedule show no classes after December or June?
The chapter produces training schedules for 6 month periods. The January to June schedule should be available after
December 1 and the July to December schedule after June 1.
7). Why was my class canceled?
Classes may be canceled for a number of reasons, but are most frequently cancelled if the minimum number of
participants to hold the class is not met.
8). How do I register for disaster volunteer classes?
You can register
on-line, by calling (714) 481-5331 or e-mailing
destrg@oc-redcross.org. Please include your name,
daytime phone number and the name and date of the class you want to register for.
9). Why can’t I register for a particular class online?
We do not allow online or phone registrations for certain classes that have specific prerequisites that must be met prior
to registration.