Lifeguarding Courses

Lifeguarding Course  Description

Our American Red Cross Lifeguard Courses provides participants with the knowledge and skills to prevent, recognize and respond to aquatic emergencies and to provide professional-level care for breathing and cardiac emergencies, injuries and sudden illnesses until EMS personnel take over. This course takes approximately 29 hours and 35 minutes over a three-day period split between classroom instruction and skills practice in the water.

Certifications

Students who successfully complete this courses will receive an American Red Cross certificate for Lifeguarding (or Shallow Water Lifeguarding)/First Aid/CPR/AED valid for 2 years, and Bloodborne Pathogens valid for 1 year

Shallow Water Lifeguarding Course Description

Shallow Water Lifeguarding contains all the material of the regular Lifeguarding course except for deep water rescues, and will certify students to lifeguard at pools up to 5 feet deep. To register for Shallow Water Lifeguarding, please register for the regular Lifeguarding course and then inform your instructor when you check in on the first day or during the prerequisites skills test that you would like to be tested as a Shallow Water Lifeguard. We will take care of the rest!

Minimum age: 15 years

Blended Learning Lifeguarding Course Description

Blended Learning combines online learning with in-person skills sessions where you will practice skills and demonstrate competency. Students will complete an eLearning module before the course starts that will cover a significant portion of the classroom material. Click Here to access the eLearning module. The eLearning module takes approximately 7 hours and 30 minutes to complete and must be completed before the first skills session. The in-person skills session takes approximately 21 hours and 45 minutes over a two-day period split between classroom instruction and skills practice in the water. Students must complete the entire eLearning portion before the first in-person skills session to be admitted to the course.

Minimum age: 15 years

Lifeguarding Review Course Description

The Lifeguarding Review course is an abbreviated course that reviews course information and allows practice of skills and knowledge before testing. In order to participate in the Lifeguarding Review course, students must have an American Red Cross Lifeguarding or Shallow Water Lifeguarding certificate that is either currently valid or expired by no more than 30 days. The course takes approximately 9 hours and 40 minutes.

Lifeguarding course prerequisite skills. Candidates must:

1. Swim 300 yards continuously demonstrating breath control and rhythmic breathing. Candidates may swim using the front crawl, breaststroke or a combination of both but swimming on the back or side is not allowed. Swim goggles may be used.
2. Tread water for 2 minutes using only the legs. Candidates should place their hands under the armpits.
3. Complete a timed event within 1 minute, 40 seconds.
   • Starting in the water, swim 20 yards. The face may be in or out of the water. Swim goggles are not allowed.
   • Surface dive, feet-first or head-first, to a depth of 7 to 10 feet to retrieve a 10-pound object.
   • Return to the surface and swim 20 yards on the back to return to the starting point with both hands holding the object and keeping the face at or near the surface so they are able to get a
     breath. Candidates should not swim the distance underwater.
   • Exit the water without using a ladder or steps.

Shallow Water Lifeguarding course prerequisite skills. Candidates must:

1. Swim 100 yards continuously demonstrating breath control and rhythmic breathing. Candidates may swim using the front crawl, breaststroke or a combination of both but swimming on the back or side is not allowed. Swim goggles may be used.
2. Tread water for 2 minutes using only the legs. Candidates should place their hands under the armpits (shallow water).
3. Complete a timed event within 50 seconds.
   • Starting in the water, swim 20 yards. The face may be in or out of the water. Swim goggles are not allowed.
   • Submerge to a depth of 4 to 5 feet to retrieve a 10-pound object.
   • Return to the surface and walk or swim 20 yards to return to the starting point with both hands holding the object at the surface of the water.
   • Exit the water without using a ladder or steps.

Resources:

RED CROSS LIFEGUARDING MANUAL

BLENDED LEARNING LIFEGUARDING COURSE ONLINE MODULE