Coast2Coast First Aid launches national CPR tour in Calgary

Coast2Coast First Aid is opening the first national Train the Next Hero tour in Calgary on Nov. 14 with free hands-on CPR, AED and overdose-response workshops. The six-city tour expands an event that began in North York in 2018 after the Yonge Street van attack.

Why it matters: - Free CPR and AED training can give more people the skills to respond before paramedics arrive. - The 2026 tour takes Train the Next Hero beyond the Greater Toronto Area for the first time, with Alberta hosting the national kickoff. - The event also teaches choking response and opioid poisoning response, two emergencies where bystander action can save lives.

What happened: - Coast2Coast First Aid will launch the first national Train the Next Hero tour in Calgary on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026. - Calgary and Edmonton will share the national kickoff for the six-city tour. - The Calgary event is free and open to the public, with no experience required. - Canadian Red Cross certified instructors will lead the one-hour workshops. - The training will run at Coast2Coast First Aid Calgary, 222 16 Ave NE, Suite 225, just east of Centre Street and a few minutes north of downtown Calgary.

The details: - The workshop covers CPR and automated external defibrillator use, with hands-on practice using AED trainers. - Participants will also learn how to recognize choking and help someone who cannot breathe. - The session includes guidance on recognizing opioid poisoning and what to do until help arrives. - All equipment is provided. - The class is an introduction to first aid training, not a full certification course. - Session times on Nov. 14 start at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 12 p.m. and 1 p.m., then resume at 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. - Spots are limited and a free Eventbrite ticket is required. - Each person must register with a separate email address. - There are no walk-ins, and late arrivals cannot join a later session. - Registration for Calgary and the other tour cities is available on the Train the Next Hero 2026 page. - Media are welcome to attend and film the Calgary workshops on Nov. 14. - Interview and filming requests go to Godwin Orilua at marketing@c2cfirstaidaquatics.com.

Between the lines: - Train the Next Hero began in North York in 2018 after the Yonge Street van attack on April 23, 2018, when bystanders were first to help in the minutes after the attack. - Coast2Coast held the first Train the Next Hero at Mel Lastman Square less than a month later. - Nearly 3,000 people have registered since the event began, including 880 in 2025. - The 2026 version is the first to tour six cities in 15 days: Calgary, Edmonton, Windsor, North York, Ottawa and Halifax. - Coast2Coast First Aid said the Calgary and Edmonton kickoff should help more Albertans learn how to step in before help arrives. - The workshop does not include a certificate. - Participants will be offered a discount on full Canadian Red Cross certification courses. - Full Canadian Red Cross first aid certification, including Alberta OHS-approved first aid and CPR courses, is available year-round at the Coast2Coast Calgary training centre.

What's next: - Calgary is the first stop in the 2026 national tour, with six cities on the schedule over 15 days. - Coast2Coast First Aid will continue offering full Red Cross certification courses year-round in Calgary. - The company will also continue booking media access for the Nov. 14 workshops through its marketing contact.

The bottom line: - Train the Next Hero is moving from a local CPR event to a national tour, with free, hands-on training in Calgary set to draw public attention to bystander response skills that can save lives.