Canadian Council for First Aid Education (CCFAE)
CCFAE’s mission: To provide leadership through evidence-based recommendations to advance the science of first aid education.
Key functions include:
- Contribute to the body of evidence which supports clinical and educational science.
- Create opportunities to build relationships for the Canadian Red Cross First Aid Program.
- Provide guidance to apply clinical and education science in a variety of learning contexts, using research and learner data to improve the design of our programs.
- Evaluate emerging technologies to gauge suitability and opportunities within our programs.
Lyle Karasiuk - Chair
Lyle is the Director of Public Affairs and Support Services for Parkland Ambulance Care Ltd. in Prince Albert, SK, where he also resides. He first became involved with the Canadian Red Cross as a special events volunteer, and went on to become a First Aid Instructor. Lyle is currently a Master Instructor Trainer for the First Aid Program, a member of the Provincial Advisory Committee for Saskatchewan, and a Red Cross Training Partner. He assists with numerous volunteer projects and was part of the provincial media team for the Canadian Red Cross during the 2015 Saskatchewan fire response.
Lyle gives his time to many organizations and committees, and is a member of the Membership Services Committee of the Paramedic Chiefs of Canada, as well as a Chair of the Paramedic Week Committee. He was awarded Prince Albert’s 2014 Citizen of the Year honour for his efforts and commitment to the community. Lyle has also received the Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal, the Governor General of Canada Emergency Medical Services Medal, and two Queen’s Jubilee Medals.
Shelly Longmore
Shelly first became involved with the Canadian Red Cross as a participant in the learn-to-swim program which then led to her becoming a Water Safety Instructor and lifeguard in 1976. The next phase of her Red Cross experience included training and volunteering with Disaster Management and fundraising projects, then she became a First Aid Instructor, Instructor Trainer and Master Instructor Trainer.
Shelly has participated in several national program development committees as well as new guideline implementation at local, provincial and national levels. Shelly’s passion lies in diversity and customizing training to meet the needs of higher risk and atypical groups or individuals. She has shared her passion for first aid and injury prevention by presenting internationally at the Emergency Cardiac Care and World Health Organization conferences.
Tyrone Power
Tyrone is an educator with experience as both a classroom teacher and an administrator. With a Masters of Education in Information Technology and a Masters of Education in Leadership (ongoing), Tyrone brings a unique skill set to the Canadian Red Cross. An Aboriginal Education Programs Specialist, a Professional Learning Specialist, the owner and operator of Baccalieu Trail Safety Services, a First Aid and People Savers Instructor, and a restorative justice facilitator, Tyrone is an active volunteer right across his home province of Newfoundland.Armed with experience in conflict mediation and resolution training, First Aid for Mental Health Training, and ASIST (Suicide Intervention Training), Tyrone has a lot to offer our organization! The Canadian Red Cross recognizes Tyrone as a valuable addition to the youth/caregiver sub-group.
Carolyn Hoekstra
As a member of the CCFAE Carolyn’s focus is to be the voice for people with developmental disabilities and ensuring the design of first aid courses allows people with disabilities to achieve successful certification.
Carolyn is a First Aid Instructor and Instructor Trainer within her organization and is passionate about facilitating first aid courses that are fun and interactive.
She has served 27 years with Christian Horizons, a developmental service agency in Ontario providing services and support for people with developmental disabilities and a Red Cross Training Partner. Her current role is Educational Development Manager where her main duties are developing and revising courses, training staff and instructors, coaching instructors in various courses within the organization as well as being an organizational contact person for Red Cross.
Jason Brinson
A full-time advanced care paramedic in Brantford, ON, Jason is also a faculty member at a local community college in the paramedic program as well as a Paramedic Instructor for the Regional Base Hospital system in Ontario.
Jason first began working with Red Cross as a Water Safety Instructor. He then became a First Aid Instructor, Instructor Trainer, and Master Instructor Trainer. He has also previously held volunteer positions in Disaster Management as a responder and an Instructor.
Jason has participated in several First Aid Program revisions and on many committees, and counts the launch of a new program among the highlights of his volunteer work.
For his efforts, Jason received both the Red Cross Injury Prevention Volunteer of the Year Award in 2011 and the Joan Harvey Award for exceptional contributions to the First Aid Program.
Charna Young
Charna began her affiliation with the Canadian Red Cross as a Water Safety Instructor in 1996. While at the University of Calgary completing her degree in kinesiology, Charna completed her First Aid Instructor certification while working for several Training Partners throughout Calgary. She is now a First Aid Instructor Trainer with almost 20 years of experience instructing Canadian Red Cross programs.
Charna still lives in Calgary and works part-time for an ambulance service while operating her own training institute with her business partner. She enjoys spending her free time with her husband and three kids around a campfire.
Bob Reside
Bob is a First Aid Instructor Trainer, Advanced Wilderness and Remote First Aid Instructor, as well as an Advanced Emergency Care Instructor, who has been with the Canadian Red Cross since 2007. He has, additionally, been a volunteer with Disaster Management since 2011, and is an Emergency Response Team Site Manager.
Employed with the Parks Canada Agency, Bob has been a Resource Management & Public Safety Specialist, Project Coordinator, Visitor Safety Coordinator, and Project Manager since 2008. As a Parks Canada representative, part of the Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada – Canadian Standards Association Technical Committee, Bob has spent time working on the creation of national training competencies and the training curriculum for ground search and rescue. He is also the Parks Canada Agency representative on the Search and Rescue Manitoba (SARMAN) advisory council, and the Transport Canada Prairies and Northern Region Recreational Boating Council.
Bob has a passion for emergency services, as well as for search and rescue. A volunteer for the District Fire Rescue, he is currently based out of Riding Mountain National Park and lives with his wife in Manitoba.
Michael Nemeth
Michael brings with him over 30 years of pre-hospital care experience as an educator, paramedic, infection control practitioner and Acting Chief Fire Training Officer. Michael joined the Canadian Red Cross First Aid family in 1995 and quickly transitioned through becoming an Instructor, Instructor Trainer and Master Instructor Trainer. In 2006, he was honoured with the highest Ontario First Aid Services volunteer award – the Joan Harvey Award – for his outstanding contribution to First Aid Programs.
A strong advocate of lifelong learning, mentoring and partnerships, Michael recently completed an undergraduate degree in conflict and dispute resolution, his Master’s in Disaster Management, and continues to contribute as an author for many medical texts and publications.
In his current role, he specializes in blended learning programs and strategies for over 3,000 staff which include pre-hospital care faculty and operational staff. He continually volunteers his time and expertise at municipal, provincial, national and international levels where he is often requested to lecture.