Marine Basic First Aid

Transport Canada and Red Cross first aid for crews on near-coastal and sheltered waters.

Personnel on near-coastal and sheltered-waters voyages need first aid training built for the marine environment, not just a generic workplace course. Marine Basic First Aid is the Canadian Red Cross and Transport Canada program that meets that requirement, and Siren Safety delivers it as a 16-hour course in the Sudbury area.

Is this training required?

For many marine roles, yes. Transport Canada Publication TP 13008 sets the first aid training standard for persons on near-coastal (Class 2) and sheltered-waters voyages, and this course is built to that standard. If your voyage class or rating calls for marine first aid, this is the certification that satisfies it.

It also carries weight ashore. In Ontario workplaces, Marine Basic First Aid is recognized as equivalent to Standard First Aid for WSIB regulation purposes, so a single certification can cover both your marine obligations and your land-based workplace first aid requirement.

Who should take it

Commercial fishers
Marine-industry workers on near-coastal (Class 2) or sheltered-waters vessels
Recreational boaters seeking a recognized certification
Anyone whose rating or voyage class requires TP 13008 marine first aid

What you'll learn

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

Recognize and respond to medical emergencies in the marine environment
Deliver first aid where professional help may be delayed at sea
Perform CPR and use an AED to the Red Cross CPR/AED Level C standard
Manage injuries and sudden illness aboard a vessel
Meet the first aid competencies set out in Transport Canada TP 13008

Course details

Duration	16 hours (typically 8 online plus 8 in-person)
Certification	Marine Basic First Aid and CPR/AED Level C
Certifying body	Canadian Red Cross / Transport Canada (TP 13008)
Valid for	3 years (Red Cross), 5 years (Transport Canada)
Recertification	None, the full course must be retaken
Prerequisite	Transport Canada Candidate Document Number (CDN)
Format	Blended, 8 hours online plus 8 hours in-person
Class size	[Maximum class size]
Price	[Price, or "contact for a group quote"]

Delivery and logistics

The course runs as a blended program: roughly 8 hours of online learning completed before the in-person day, then 8 hours in-person to practice and assess skills. You must have your Transport Canada Candidate Document Number (CDN) before you begin so your certification can be issued correctly. Group and crew bookings are available: [group booking details].

Frequently asked questions

What is the Candidate Document Number (CDN) prerequisite? A CDN is a Transport Canada Candidate Document Number that identifies you in the Transport Canada system. You must have one before starting Marine Basic First Aid so your Transport Canada certification can be issued in your name. If you don't have a CDN yet, contact us and we'll point you to how to obtain one.

Is there a shorter recertification course? No. There is no recertification version of Marine Basic First Aid. When your certification lapses, you retake the full 16-hour course to renew it.

How is this different from Marine Advanced First Aid? Marine Basic First Aid is the entry-level marine certification for near-coastal and sheltered-waters crews. If your role or voyage class requires a higher level of medical training, see Marine Advanced First Aid.