AHA Training Center in San Antonio: Align as an Instructor or Start a Training Site
Alamo CPR Certification, LLC | AHA Training Center ID: TX21044
Alamo CPR Certification, known locally as Alamo CPR, is an American Heart Association (AHA) authorized Training Center based in San Antonio, Texas. If you want to teach AHA courses, or you want your organization to run its own classes, this page explains how the AHA Training Network works, what separates a Training Center from a Training Site, and how to get started with us.
How the AHA Training Network is organized
The AHA does not sign up instructors one at a time. It authorizes Training Centers, and everyone else who teaches AHA courses works under one of them.
American Heart Association → Training Center → Training Site (optional) → Instructor → Student
Every AHA instructor must be aligned with a Training Center. Some instructors align directly. Others work for a Training Site, which is itself aligned with a Training Center. Either way, a Training Center stands behind every AHA course completion card.
Training Center vs. Training Site
The two names sound alike, and many businesses use them loosely. They are different roles.
| Training Center (TC) | Training Site (TS) | |
|---|---|---|
| Authorized by | The American Heart Association, under a direct agreement | A Training Center, under that center’s approval |
| Accountable to | The AHA | Its Training Center |
| Led by | A Training Center Coordinator and Training Center Faculty | A Training Site Coordinator approved by the Training Center |
| Instructor alignment | Accepts and manages instructor alignment | Its instructors are aligned with the Training Center it operates under |
| Course completion eCards | Responsible for all cards issued under its authorization | Cards are issued through its Training Center |
| Quality and records | Responsible for every course taught by its sites and instructors, wherever it is held | Keeps course records and follows AHA and Training Center policy |
| Instructor development | Runs instructor courses, monitoring and renewals through its Faculty | Relies on its Training Center for instructor courses and monitoring |
In short: a Training Center answers to the AHA. A Training Site answers to a Training Center.
Why it matters which one you align with
When you align with Alamo CPR, you are working with the Training Center itself. There is no layer between you and the organization that holds the agreement with the AHA.
- Direct answers. Questions about policy, course records, eCards and renewals go to the people who are responsible for them.
- Local support. We are in San Antonio, so instructor courses, monitoring and renewals happen here rather than through an out-of-state office.
- Current information. Science updates, training memos and policy changes from the AHA reach you through us without a relay.
- Field experience. Our team includes former EMTs who have used these skills on real calls.
For individuals: become an AHA instructor
You do not need to own a business or open a Training Site to teach. An individual instructor can align directly with Alamo CPR. The path looks like this:
- Hold a current AHA provider card in the discipline you want to teach, such as BLS, Heartsaver, ACLS or PALS.
- Apply for alignment. Download and complete the Instructor Alignment Agreement on our instructor application page and upload it there.
- Complete Instructor Essentials. This is the AHA’s online course for your discipline.
- Attend the instructor course led by Training Center Faculty.
- Be monitored teaching your first class.
- Teach. Your instructor status is valid for two years, and we handle your renewal.
Already an AHA instructor aligned somewhere else? You can request to transfer your alignment to Alamo CPR using the same application.
For more detail on each step, see our CPR instructor course page.
For organizations: start an AHA Training Site
A Training Site is a good fit for hospitals and clinics, EMS agencies and fire departments, schools and colleges, safety companies and independent training businesses that want to run AHA classes under their own roof and on their own schedule.
The AHA does not approve Training Sites. A Training Center does. To operate a Training Site under Alamo CPR, expect to show that you have:
- A legal business or organization
- A designated Training Site Coordinator
- Current AHA instructors on your team
- Your own training equipment, including manikins with feedback devices
- A reliable way to keep course rosters and records to AHA standards
Specific requirements depend on your disciplines and class volume. The simplest way to begin is to have your lead instructor apply for alignment, then talk with us about setting up the site.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an AHA Training Center and a Training Site?
A Training Center holds an agreement directly with the American Heart Association and is responsible for the quality and administration of every AHA course taught by its aligned instructors and Training Sites. A Training Site has no direct agreement with the AHA. It operates under a Training Center, with that Training Center’s authorization and oversight.
Is Alamo CPR Certification a Training Center or a Training Site?
Alamo CPR Certification, also known as Alamo CPR, is an AHA-authorized Training Center based in San Antonio, Texas. Our legal name is Alamo CPR Certification, LLC and our Training Center ID is TX21044. Instructors and Training Sites align with us directly.
Do I need to align with a Training Center to teach AHA courses?
Yes. Every AHA instructor must be aligned with an authorized Training Center. The Training Center keeps your instructor records, monitors your teaching, and is the channel through which your students receive their AHA course completion eCards.
Do I have to start a Training Site to teach classes?
No. An individual instructor can align directly with a Training Center and teach without running a Training Site. A Training Site makes sense when an organization has several instructors, its own equipment and a steady volume of classes to manage.
How do I become an AHA instructor with Alamo CPR?
Hold a current AHA provider card in the discipline you want to teach, submit the Instructor Alignment Agreement on our instructor application page, complete the AHA Instructor Essentials online course for that discipline, attend the instructor course, and be monitored teaching your first class. Your instructor status is then valid for two years.
I am already an AHA instructor. Can I move my alignment to Alamo CPR?
Yes. Current AHA instructors can request to transfer their alignment. Submit the Instructor Alignment Agreement on our instructor application page and we will review your request and contact you about next steps.
What does it take to start an AHA Training Site?
A Training Site needs the approval of a Training Center. In general you need a legal business or organization, a designated Training Site Coordinator, current AHA instructors, your own training equipment including feedback manikins, and the ability to keep course records to AHA standards. Each Training Center sets its own specific requirements, so contact us to discuss yours.
Can a Training Site issue AHA course completion cards on its own?
No. AHA eCards are issued through the Training Center the site is aligned with. The Training Center remains accountable to the AHA for every card issued under its authorization.
Can a Training Site become a Training Center?
That decision belongs solely to the American Heart Association, which decides whether and when it accepts new Training Centers. Operating a well-run Training Site is the usual starting point.
Which AHA disciplines can I teach through Alamo CPR?
Alamo CPR supports instructors in BLS, Heartsaver, ACLS and PALS. Tell us which discipline you want to teach when you submit your application.
Ready to start?
Whether you are one instructor or an organization with a full teaching team, the first step is the same: apply for alignment with the Training Center.
