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 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. Students must pass the physical skills test prior to the class and must be 16 years of age by the last day of the scheduled class.
Pass the following Physical Competency Requirements (conducted in class on the first day):
- Phase 1 – Tread water for 2 minutes – Swim 100 yards of front crawl
- Phase 2 – Swim 50 yards of each: 1. Front crawl with the head up 2. Sidestroke 3. Breaststroke 4. Breaststroke with the head up 5. Elementary backstroke kick with hands on the chest – Perform a feetfirst surface dive in 8 to 10 feet of water (or maximum depth of training facility). Then swim underwater for 15 feet.
- Phase 3 – Participants start in the water at the shallow end. – Sprint for a distance of approximately 60 feet, and then perform an arm-over-arm surface dive in 8 to 10 feet of water (or maximum depth of training facility).
- Pick up an object (dive ring) from the bottom of pool, surface, tread water for at least 1 minute with legs only, and 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 manikin for 1 minute or 100 compressions, and stand and listen to directions from the instructor.
Participants are REQUIRED to attend per-requisites swim testing on Friday, May 3rd at 4:30PM to be eligible to take course.
All participants must also register for this course through the YMCA Exchange Learning and Career Development Center (LCDC) before the first day of class.
Please register here. If you receive a notice saying that the course is already full, please use this link to register instead.