Join CUSERT

How to Apply:

1. Confirm that you are eligible

The first step in becoming a CUSERT responder is determining if you meet the eligibility requirements. To join CUSERT, you must: 

• Be a current student at Carleton University with at least two academic terms (Fall 2024 and Winter 2025) remaining in your current degree program*
• Have a valid Standard First Aid and CPR/AED Level C certification**
• Have a clean criminal record and the ability to obtain a Vulnerable Sector Check upon request and at your own expense***
• Have a desire to help others in their community and work in a team 

*This includes students who will be starting at Carleton University in September 2024.

**These certifications are not required to apply but must be provided by September 15, 2024, to be considered. Please contact us if you wish to submit your certificate after this date. If you don’t have these certifications but plan on taking a Standard First Aid course before the application deadline, you are still welcome to apply.

***Only successful applicants who are offered positions on our team will be asked to provide a Vulnerable Sector Check. CUSERT will provide successful applicants with a letter that may entitle the applicant to a reduced fee. For information on requirements and fees, please visit the Ottawa Police Service website or the website of the police service in your area.

2. Considerations for Potential Applicants:

Time Commitment

CUSERT requires an ongoing commitment from its volunteers. Students from all programs and all years of study have successfully balanced both CUSERT and academic commitments. The minimum commitments are:

• Providing at least 24 hours of availability per week, including at least two weekend shifts or one overnight shift. You can expect to be assigned 12 hours of on-call shifts per week from your available hours
• Attending a 2-hour training session each week
• Completing periodic team-wide trainings, meetings, and evaluations (generally an extra 4 hours per month, typically on weekends)

For new responders, in addition to these requirements, there are a few additional commitments as part of the First-Year Training Program:

• Completion of a 40-hour Canadian Red Cross First Responder course 
• Completion of a 12-hour Mental Health Commission of Canada Mental Health First Aid course 
• Attending additional 1-hour weekly training sessions for part of the Fall 2024 term 
• Other training as required. Dates will be provided well in advance

Hours of Service

CUSERT is a 24/7 service. As such, we rely on our volunteers’ flexibility to work various shifts, including weekends and overnights. Our time commitment requirements are the same for all members, so if you aren’t available for a specific type of shift, you should be prepared to provide the required availability through other shift types. For example, if you are not available on weekends, you should be prepared to provide availability for overnights.

Physical Demands

The work of a CUSERT first responder can be physically demanding and requires certain physical abilities. While the physical demands of the position are not constant, the nature of our on-call work means that responders can be called at any time. CUSERT responders must be able to:

• Stand, sit, kneel, and lay down for an extended period of time
• Carry a large backpack weighing approximately 20 kg (45 lbs) long distances, over uneven terrain, and up and down multiple flights of stairs. 
• Work in a variety of conditions, including both indoors and outdoors in any weather
• Carry out the functions of their position at any time of day, including when woken up at night

CUSERT first responders must be physically able to obtain all their certifications. This means you must be able to do things like chest compressions for CPR, which can be physically exhausting. 

Mental Wellbeing

The job of a first responder can be very rewarding, but it can also impact your mental health and wellbeing. Potential applicants should be prepared to work in intense, fast-paced situations. 

CUSERT works to provide a robust network of resources to its members and actively works to build resiliency within our team. However, due to the nature of the work, being a CUSERT responder can be challenging. In this role, you could be called to respond to serious situations, including life-or-death emergencies. Applicants should consider how work on CUSERT could impact their mental wellness before applying.