Embark on a Lifesaving Journey With Us | Lifeguard Classes Explained

Have you ever wished you could wake up from bed and be able to do something that would change the world by saving lives? A career as a lifeguard is one way of doing exactly that while being employed and paid for it in a fun, interesting, and outdoor job. Although one can be a professional lifeguard, one has to get certified and undertake training to undertake the activity.

Lifeguard classes offered by the American Lifeguard Association are among the most comprehensive, giving you all the knowledge you will need no matter the area of application. These courses involve all the appropriate methods and approaches necessary to respond to various emergencies, and safely for you.

In this particular article, the following general areas will be explored. The overview of a lifeguard certification, the steps followed in the certification process, and the general information you need to acquire in the quest to attain certification as a lifeguard. If you are seeking a career change or career advancement the ALA’s training programs for the Paralegal and Legal Assistant provide the grounding needed for this crucial function.

Take a Lifeguard Certification Class

Once you are sure that you have all the requirements as proffered by ALA, it is time to register for the lifeguard classes that are offered by the American Lifeguard Association. Such courses normally take between 30 to 40 hours to complete and are arranged in such a way that they are conducted on different days or weekends to ensure that the students get a comprehensive training session.

Due to the vastness of the skill set to be imparted, the various aspects of the curriculum entail; water rescue, first aid, spinal injury, drown-proofing, and several other areas. In the classes, a lot of practice in the development and enhancement of the skills is carried out. Such an approach increases the likelihood that you are not only cramming on information that may not be useful in practical situations but that you can apply such knowledge in real life.

The competency check involves students being exposed to simulation exercises, whereby they have to perform rescue techniques/ cope with emergencies frequently throughout the course. These evaluations are very important to equip oneself and be ready to deal with different circumstances with ability. The theoretical readings and the practical scenarios help you to be ready for the challenges that specify the requirements for a professional lifeguard.

Amidst the course completion and passing all mandatory tests, you thereby will enable yourself with adequate skills for being a lifeguard. Earning this certification will pave the way towards a fulfilling profession that will provide you an opportunity to contribute to the safety of people especially those who will be using or engaging in water-related activities at various establishments.

Lifeguard Certification Requirements

Most facilities that employ lifeguards require certification through a nationally recognized organization like the ALA. There are a few key requirements to obtain lifeguard certification:

Be at least 15 years old (some facilities require 16 or older)

Hold current CPR for the Professional Rescuer and AED certification

Pass a swimming skills pre-test, including 200 yards of continuous swimming using front crawl, breaststroke, and either elementary backstroke or sidestroke. You must also pass a timed event where you swim 20 yards, retrieve a 10-pound brick from the deep end, and swim back with it within 1 minute and 40 seconds.

Find Lifeguard Certification Classes Near You

A good approach to discovering that an ALA certification class is provided in your area is by using our class search engine. Just type in your zip code or city and every future course with dates and a note on how to register will be shown on your screen. Some common ways people search for classes include:

• lifeguarding certification near me
• where can I go for a lifeguarding certification
• lifeguard recertification classes near me

You can also, of course, try to contact the managers of the various and nearest community centers, Some pool supervisors would rather employ lifeguards with certification in their particular pool to be well-acquainted with apparatus and measures of safety.

Complete Your Certification

Finally, there are two tests, written and practical tests that a candidate must pass at the end of the training course to obtain the certification. With the help of the written exam, you can test and make sure that you have comprehended all the lessons, scenarios, and procedures mentioned during the course, as well as the theoretical imperatives of lifeguarding.

Apart from the traditional written test, the practical skills exam checks your ability in simulated environments, such as the water rescue manneuvers, and first aid and Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation performed on a mock victim. Once a candidate has completed and passed both exams he or she will receive an ALA certification card, which acts to officially acknowledge the candidate as a certified professional lifeguard.

This certification is issued for two years from the date of certification. However, to retain the certifications, one is required to go for re-certification where they have to attend classes to learn new developments on set standards, methods, and even new practices. Refresher courses also give a chance to revise some of the major skills learned with the intent of mastering and being ready to utilize mastery in the event of an emergency.

Renewing your certification is a way to declare that you are committed to providing the best service possible to your audience and, at the same time, ensuring that you provide the highest level of protection possible to them.

Start Your Lifesaving Career

After completing your lifeguard certification course you are now ready to apply for a lifeguard job at various installations such as pools, water parks, lakes, and beaches. The employers particularly new lifeguards like newly certified lifeguards prefer hiring their candidates part-time to be trained on new tasks on the job and advanced tasks as well. If you stay there for long enough the opportunities to take on more hours and promotion to head guard manager or trainer will come along.

Getting into the lifeguard training programs is perhaps the best way to start your career in public service. Every working day, you will be presenting an opportunity to contribute directly to the safety of water-based facilities. It will require actual participation in rescue operations and timely patrol functions in an establishment, so should you be ready in the instances for the worst to happen and have responsibilities as the safety officer for every person in the establishment.

As for me, it is truly gratifying to understand that the knowledge that was acquired to save lives has worked. Please go to the top of this page and fill out the registration form if you would like to begin the certification process now or go to the American Lifeguard Association (ALA) and sign up for the next class. For further information about lifeguard training or anything else, go to Vortexpedia. The site that offers everything you have ever wanted to know – in detail and without errors.