Lifeguard Certification

This course is designed to provide participants the knowledge and skills necessary to be a lifeguard and professional rescuer. Participants will be certified in American Safety and Health Institute’s (ASHI) courses: CPR Pro (BLS) for the Professional Rescuer, Basic First Aid for the Community, and Emergency Oxygen Administration.

The course presents information on the skills and knowledge lifeguards need in the pool, lake, river, surf, and waterpark environments. The comprehensive course offers up-to-date information on how to lifeguard by anticipating and preventing problems before they occur and by taking action to help those in danger when necessary. The course covers safety skills, accident prevention, scanning, guarding techniques, emergency systems, rescue skills, first aid in aquatic environments, spinal injury management, open water dangers, legal responsibilities, pool maintenance basics, and information on how to get a job as a lifeguard.

Program Details

Age

16 years and older
Course Dates

Registration varies by family center
Duration

30 hours total — dates and times vary
Instructor/Student Ratio

1:10
Prerequisite

Students must pass the Physical Skills Test prior to the course

Phase 1
Tread water for two minutes, and swim 100 yards of front crawl.
Phase 2
Swim 50 yards of front crawl (with the head up), sidestroke, breaststroke, breaststroke with the head up, and elementary backstroke kick with hands on chest.
Phase 3
Perform a feet-first surface dive in 8–10′ (or maximum depth), then swim underwater for 15′.
Phase 4
Sprint approximately 60′ and perform an arm-over-arm surface dive in 8–10′ water (or maximum depth). Pick up a dive ring from the bottom of the pool, resurface, and tread water for at least one minute with legs only. Then replace the object back to the bottom of the pool where it was found. Swim the remaining length to end of the pool, and hoist yourself out of the water. Immediately begin compression on an adult mannequin for one minute or 100 compressions, then stand and listen to directions from the instructor.

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