Step 2: Review the Instructor-Led Training Videos

Carefully review the complete video curriculum.

The videos revisit essential topics such as:

• Professional lifeguard responsibilities.
• Patron surveillance.
• Drowning prevention.
• Victim recognition.
• Rescue approaches.
• Rescue-tube use.
• Victim removal.
• CPR/AED.
• First Aid.
• Spinal-injury management.
• Emergency Action Plans.
• Team-based emergency response.

Participants should not rush through the material simply to reach the final examination. Recertification is an opportunity to identify skills that need additional review and practice.

Step 3: Study the 439-Page ALA Lifeguard Manual

The program includes a comprehensive 439-page American Lifeguard Association manual.

Use the manual to review:

• Lifeguarding principles.
• Water-rescue procedures.
• Emergency cardiovascular care.
• CPR/AED procedures.
• First Aid.
• Rescue equipment.
• Head, neck, and back injuries.
• Emergency Action Plans.
• Professional standards.
• Practical skill sequences.

The training videos and online materials remain available throughout the two-year ALA certification period, allowing lifeguards to return to the content for continued review and in-service preparation.

Step 4: Practice the Required Skills

Lifeguarding is a physical profession. Video instruction and written materials cannot replace practical performance.

Participants are expected to practice and remain capable of demonstrating:

• Swimming prerequisites.
• Rescue entries and approaches.
• Active- and passive-victim rescues.
• Submerged-victim rescues.
• Victim extrication.
• Backboard use.
• Spinal-injury stabilization.
• CPR/AED.
• First Aid.
• Emergency-response scenarios.

Practice should take place in an appropriate aquatic environment with the necessary equipment and qualified supervision.

Step 5: Complete the Online Final Examination

After reviewing the course materials and practicing the required skills, participants complete the online written examination.

The examination requirements are:

• A passing score of 80% or higher.
• Completion in one session.
• No preset time limit while the examination session remains open.
• Restarting the examination when the participant exits before completion.
• Additional examination attempts without an additional exam charge when the passing score is not achieved.

After completing the examination, the participant receives a summary showing the score and the correct responses for questions answered incorrectly.

Step 6: Complete the Practical Skills Evaluation

The academic portion of the program does not eliminate the need to demonstrate physical competency.

An employer may assess the candidate’s practical performance in accordance with American Lifeguard Association (ALA) procedures, provided the employer satisfies the requirements adopted from the CDC’s Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC).

The evaluation should verify that the candidate can:

• Meet the swimming prerequisites.
• Perform required water rescues.
• Use the facility’s rescue equipment.
• Remove a victim from the water.
• Perform CPR/AED.
• Provide First Aid.
• Respond to suspected spinal injuries.
• Participate in the facility’s Emergency Action Plan.
• Complete rescues in the environment where the lifeguard will work.

Step 7: Receive Your Certification and Verification Record

After successful completion of the program requirements, participants receive:

• Lifeguarding Certification.
• CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer Certification.
• First Aid Certification.
• Electronic certification confirmation.
• Entry into the National Verification System.
• A printable digital certificate.
• An optional waterproof wallet-size certification card.

ALA’s current certification record is entered into the verification system upon successful completion.

Deep-Water Lifeguard Swimming Requirements

Recertification candidates must remain capable of completing the deep-water swimming and object-retrieval requirements.

Swim–Tread–Swim Sequence

Complete the following sequence without stopping to rest:

1. Swim 150 Yards

• Jump into the water.
• Completely submerge.
• Return to the surface.
• Swim 150 yards using:
  • Front crawl,
  • Breaststroke, or
  • A combination of both.

Swimming on the back or side is not permitted.

Swimming goggles may be used during this portion.

2. Tread Water for Two Minutes

Maintain position at the surface for two minutes by treading water using only the legs.

The arms may not be used.

3. Swim Another 50 Yards

Immediately swim an additional 50 yards using:

• Front crawl,
• Breaststroke, or
• A combination of both.

The complete sequence consists of 200 yards of swimming separated by the two-minute leg-only tread.

Timed Brick-Retrieval Test

Complete the following sequence within one minute and 40 seconds:

1. Start in the water.
2. Swim 20 yards.
3. Perform a surface dive to approximately seven feet.
4. Retrieve a 10-pound brick or equivalent object.
5. Return to the surface.
6. Swim back on the back while holding the object.
7. Keep the object secure at or near the surface.
8. Exit the water without using steps or a ladder.

Swimming goggles are not permitted during the timed brick-retrieval event.

Water-Rescue Skills Reviewed in the Program

Participants should be prepared to review, practice, and demonstrate the following rescue skills:

• Slide-in entry.
• Stride jump.
• Compact jump.
• Front-crawl rescue approach.
• Breaststroke rescue approach.
• Simple assist.
• Extension assist from the deck.
• Reaching assist using equipment.
• Throwing assist.
• Swimming extension rescue.
• Active drowning-victim rear rescue.
• Passive drowning-victim rear rescue.
• Two-person removal using a backboard.
• Passive submerged-victim rescue in shallow water.
• Submerged-victim rescue in deep water.
• Multiple-victim rescue.
• Feet-first surface dive.
• Front head-hold escape.
• Rear head-hold escape.

Candidates must know when each technique is appropriate and how to adapt the rescue to the victim’s condition, water depth, facility design, available equipment, and Emergency Action Plan.

Head, Neck, and Back Injury Skills

The course reviews care for suspected head, neck, and spinal injuries in aquatic and land-based environments.

Skills include:

• Manual in-line stabilization for a person lying on land.
• Manual stabilization for a person sitting or standing.
• Backboard use for a standing person on land.
• Head-splint technique for a face-up victim in shallow water.
• Head-splint technique for a face-down victim in shallow water.
• Head-splint technique for a face-up victim in deep water.
• Head-splint technique for a face-down victim in deep water.
• Head-and-chin support for a face-up victim in shallow water.
• Head-and-chin support for a face-down victim in shallow water.
• Head-and-chin support for a face-up victim in deep water.
• Head-and-chin support for a face-down victim in deep water.
• Stabilization of a submerged victim who is face-up, face-down, or on one side.
• Backboard use in shallow water.
• Backboard use in deep water.
• Coordinated team removal.

The correct technique depends on the victim’s position, water depth, available personnel, equipment, and facility procedures.

CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer Skills

Participants review emergency cardiovascular care for adults, children, and infants.

Skills include:

• Removing protective gloves safely.
• Conducting an initial assessment.
• Adult rescue breathing.
• Child rescue breathing.
• Infant rescue breathing.
• Two-rescuer bag-valve-mask use.
• Care for a conscious choking adult.
• Care for a conscious choking child.
• Care for a conscious choking infant.
• Care for an unconscious choking adult.
• Care for an unconscious choking child.
• Care for an unconscious choking infant.
• Adult CPR.
• Child CPR.
• Infant CPR.
• Two-rescuer adult CPR.
• Two-rescuer child CPR.
• Two-rescuer infant CPR.
• AED use for adults.
• AED use for children.
• Team communication during resuscitation.
• Transition of care to emergency medical services.

First Aid Skills

First Aid review includes:

• Secondary assessment.
• Recognizing serious illness or injury.
• Controlling external bleeding.
• Applying a sling and binder.
• Applying an anatomic splint.
• Applying a soft splint.
• Monitoring an injured or ill person.
• Recognizing shock.
• Activating emergency medical services.
• Documenting the incident and transferring care.

Final Skill Scenarios

Candidates should be prepared for integrated emergency-response scenarios involving:

Scenario 1: Active Drowning Victim

The candidate recognizes an active drowning victim, activates the appropriate response, enters the water, performs the rescue, removes the victim, and provides appropriate follow-up care.

Scenario 2: Submerged Passive Victim

The candidate locates and recovers a submerged passive victim, performs an appropriate extrication, assesses the victim, and begins emergency care.

Scenario 3: Head, Neck, or Back Injury

The candidate responds to a face-down victim with a suspected spinal injury, rotates the victim face-up using an appropriate stabilization technique, coordinates backboard placement, and participates in removal.

The candidate’s choice of technique should be appropriate for the victim’s position, water depth, available assistance, and facility procedures.

Employer Pre-Service Evaluation

Lifeguard certification is only one part of professional readiness.

The current CDC Model Aquatic Health Code defines a qualified lifeguard as an individual who:

1. Has completed an Authority Having Jurisdiction-recognized lifeguard-training course.
2. Holds a current certificate.
3. Has met the facility’s pre-service requirements.
4. Participates in continuing in-service training.

Before the first duty assignment, the aquatic facility should evaluate whether the lifeguard can perform effectively in that specific workplace. (CDC)

Pre-service training should address:

• The facility’s Emergency Action Plan.
• Lifeguard surveillance zones.
• Rotation procedures.
• Facility rules.
• Emergency signals.
• Rescue-equipment locations.
• AED and First Aid equipment.
• Backboard use.
• Water-rescue procedures.
• CPR/AED and First Aid competency.
• Contamination-response procedures.
• Emergency closure.
•  
• Team responsibilities.

The facility should maintain records showing who completed the training, what was covered, when it occurred, and who conducted it. The current MAHC calls for pre-service documentation to be maintained and available for inspection. (CDC)

Continuing In-Service Lifeguard Training

Skills that are not practiced can deteriorate.

During employment, lifeguards should participate in periodic in-service training that includes:

• Water-rescue practice.
• CPR/AED.
• First Aid.
• Victim recognition.
• Emergency Action Plan drills.
• Team-based scenarios.
• Spinal-injury management.
• Facility-specific emergencies.
• Rescue-equipment use.
• Demonstration of test-ready skills.

The current MAHC calls for periodic in-service training, documentation of attendance and content, maintenance of certifications, and continued demonstration of rescue and resuscitation proficiency. (CDC)

National Recognition and Government References

Listed by the U.S. Department of Labor

The U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division’s Field Operations Handbook lists the American Lifeguard Association among organizations whose lifeguard-certification programs are similar to the American Red Cross program and therefore satisfy the certification requirement in 29 CFR §570.34(l).

Listed in VHA Directive 1040

The Department of Veterans Affairs issued VHA Directive 1040 on April 16, 2025, addressing water-safety certification requirements for therapeutic and recreational swimming-pool staff.

The directive lists American Lifeguard Association Lifeguard Certification among its identified lifeguard-certification options. (Veterans Affairs)

Available Nationwide

The blended course format allows eligible participants to access the academic materials throughout the United States and in other locations where the program is offered.

Important MAHC Certification-Term Notice

ALA identifies its Lifeguarding, CPR/AED, and First Aid credentials as valid for two years under the ALA program.

The current Model Aquatic Health Code permits a maximum certification period of two years for lifeguarding.

Flexible Video Instructor-Led Blended Learning

The American Lifeguard Association program provides flexibility without presenting lifeguarding as an online-only profession.

Participants can complete the academic instruction from home, school, a university, an aquatic facility, or another appropriate location. They can revisit course videos and manual sections as needed and prepare for the final examination on their own schedule.

Practical swimming, rescue, CPR/AED, First Aid, and emergency-response skills must still be practiced and evaluated in person by the participant’s employer through required pre-service evaluations and ongoing in-service training, in accordance with the CDC’s Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC).

Blended learning provides academic flexibility while preserving the need for hands-on competency.

Training Materials Remain Available

Participants retain access to the training videos and online materials throughout the two-year ALA certification period.

Ongoing access allows lifeguards to:

• Review rescue procedures before a new season.
• Prepare for employer in-service training.
• Refresh CPR/AED sequences.
• Revisit spinal-injury techniques.
• Review First Aid.
• Prepare for skills evaluations.
• Reinforce professional lifeguard responsibilities.

Easy Financing Available

Renew Your Certification and Pay Over Time

At checkout, eligible participants may select Shop Pay.

Available options may include:

• Four interest-free biweekly payments.
• Monthly installments for qualifying applicants.

Financing availability and final terms are determined during checkout.

30-Day Price-Match Guarantee

The American Lifeguard Association monitors comparable programs to help keep its training competitively positioned.

A qualifying price-match request must generally involve:

• The same type of lifeguard recertification training.
• Another nationally recognized training organization.
• Training available in the participant’s local area.
• A course available within 30 days of the ALA registration.
• An active course that remains open for registration.
• A publicly displayed price that can be independently verified.
• A course that is not employer-subsidized through reduced wages or a similar arrangement.

Submit a request within 30 days of registration by emailing:

alalifeguard@aol.com

Include the competing course’s webpage, advertisement, or other verifiable documentation.

When the request satisfies the published terms, ALA refunds the confirmed difference. 

30-Day Satisfaction Guarantee

Participants may request a refund within 30 days of their original registration in accordance with the published satisfaction-guarantee terms.

Refund requests should be submitted before the 30-day period expires.

Send the participant’s name, registration information, and request to:

alalifeguard@aol.com

Health and Safety Reminder

Lifeguard training involves swimming, lifting, victim support, surface diving, underwater retrieval, pool exits, CPR, kneeling, bending, and other physical activity.

Consult a physician or qualified healthcare professional before participating when you have:

• A cardiovascular condition.
• A respiratory condition.
• A recent injury.
• A mobility limitation.
• A medical condition that may be affected by physical exertion.
• Any uncertainty about your ability to participate safely.

Candidates should never attempt unfamiliar underwater exercises alone or without appropriate supervision.