Emergency. Response. Education.
BFA is a Canadian health and safety company specializing in occupational health and safety education, remote staffing and ice and water rescue training. With operations throughout the Canadian Arctic, as well as Newfoundland and Labrador, we are committed to providing our clients with the highest quality education, staffing and logistics services.
In partnership with industry leaders in various fields of health and safety, BFA offers a diverse portfolio of educational programming in areas such as workplace first aid and wilderness first aid, ice and cold-water rescue, swift water/flood rescue and emergency/disaster preparedness. Utilizing the most innovative pedagogical methods, our educational specialists can custom design a curriculum specific to the needs of your organization.
BFA offers custom outdoor survival educational service that is specific to the needs of our clientele. Our survival courses are held entirely in the field and we utilize simulation to reinforce key concepts. Our previous clients include Environment and Climate Change Canada, RCMP, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Raytheon, Canadian Armed Forces and Parks Canada. If you are looking to prepare for the worst-case scenario and safety education training , BFA can help.
Courses & Schedules
We offer water & ice rescue courses in the field, for an authentic student experience.
Our Team
René Ritter Director Lead Instructor
René Ritter Director Lead Instructor
René Ritter Director Lead Instructor
René Ritter is the founder and Director of BFA: Emergency Response Education. René is a Canadian Red Cross Instructor Trainer as well as a Swift Water and Ice Rescue Instructor and Wilderness EMT. He has trained Search and Rescue teams in various remote parts of Canada, specifically in wilderness medicine and survival, swift water rescue
René Ritter is the founder and Director of BFA: Emergency Response Education. René is a Canadian Red Cross Instructor Trainer as well as a Swift Water and Ice Rescue Instructor and Wilderness EMT. He has trained Search and Rescue teams in various remote parts of Canada, specifically in wilderness medicine and survival, swift water rescue and ice rescue. He is also a consultant in ice and water safety and has recently authored a Strategic Emergency Management Plan for the award-winning non-profit organization SmartICE.
Sharon Nowlan Instructor
René Ritter Director Lead Instructor
René Ritter Director Lead Instructor
Sharon settled in Iqaluit in 2004 where she presently resides with her husband. Sharon is a full-time firefighter and medic/emergency medical responder and works as a first aid instructor with BFA part-time. She is passionate about promoting safety and encouraging others to learn first aid. In her spare time Sharon loves to travel through
Sharon settled in Iqaluit in 2004 where she presently resides with her husband. Sharon is a full-time firefighter and medic/emergency medical responder and works as a first aid instructor with BFA part-time. She is passionate about promoting safety and encouraging others to learn first aid. In her spare time Sharon loves to travel throughout the world. We are fortunate to have someone with Sharon’s experience in our crew.
Future Instructor
René Ritter Director Lead Instructor
Future Instructor
We're currently hiring, please send positions below.
*Current Canadian Red Cross instructors to facilitate CRC core first aid, youth programs, wilderness first aid and professional responder programs in Newfoundland & Labrador and Nunavut.