Lifeguard Training and Certification

American Red Cross lifeguard training and certification classes will qualify you to work as a professional lifeguard.

Lifeguard Training Available on Early Bravo and Bravo 1

If you're looking for a great summer job, one that will help you develop skills and experience, American Red Cross Lifeguard Training is a good place to start. Through classroom learning and hands-on practice, you'll learn techniques that will qualify you to work as a professional lifeguard. Certification is a serious endeavor, so you must be willing to give your full commitment.

Lifeguard Training is also strenuous, and you must be a strong swimmer to complete this course. You will need to swim 500 yards continuously, using these strokes in the following order:

• 200 yards of front crawl using rhythmic breathing and a stabilizing, propellant kick. Rhythmic breathing can be performed either by breathing to the side or to the front.
• 100 yards of breaststroke.
• 200 yards of front crawl using rhythmic breathing and/or breaststroke. These last 200 yards may be a mixture of front crawl and breaststroke.

You will also need to swim 20 yards using front crawl or breaststroke, surface dive to a depth of 7-10 feet, retrieve a 10-pound object, return to the surface and swim 20 yards back to the starting point with the object. When returning to the starting point, your face must remain above the water, and you must hold the 10-pound object with both hands.

Once you've proven that you are a strong swimmer, we'll take you through 25 hours of instruction in lifeguarding skills, including surveillance to help recognize and prevent injuries, towing and carrying a victim to safety, managing a spinal injury in the water, and using rescue equipment to help a distressed or drowning victim.

You must be at least 15 years old and have proof of current certification in American Red Cross CPR for Professional Rescuer, as well as in First Aid Basics before joining us in the Caribbean.