Did you know that Lifeguard Certification expires? Lifeguard certificate is required to be renewed every 2 years. Lifeguards begin the renewal process by taking an online Lifeguarding course, also called Lifeguard Recertification.

For Lifeguards looking to become certified or recertified, there are three options available: Lifeguard Recertification, Lifeguard Refresher, and Lifeguard Training Course.

Lifeguards are required to renew their certification every two years. Lifeguards can renew in one of three ways:

1) Lifeguard Recertification is an online course intended for lifeguards who have been certified through ALA in the past and need to renew their certification. Lifeguards who take Lifeguard Recertification do not need to retake the Lifeguarding skills test. Lifeguards will receive an official Lifeguard Certificate upon passing the online course. Lifeguards are required to complete Lifeguard Recertification every two years.

2) Lifeguard Refresher is an online refresher intended for lifeguards who need to requalify with minimal Lifeguard skills. Lifeguards will receive an official Lifeguard Certificate upon passing the online course. Lifeguards are required to complete Lifeguard refresher every two years.

3) Lifeguard Training Course is an online training intended for people looking to become a lifeguard or those seeking additional lifeguarding skills. Lifeguards will receive an official Lifeguard Certificate upon passing the online course. Lifeguards are required to complete Lifeguard Training Course every two years.

ALA Lifeguard Recertification consists of approximately three hours in length, and includes video demonstrations and written knowledge reviews that reinforce ALA’s Lifeguarding curriculum. Lifeguards must complete Lifeguard Recertification every two years in order to maintain Lifeguard Certification with ALA. The Lifeguard Recertification course is available for purchase on the Lifeguard Store. Lifeguard Professional Recertification: This training covers Lifeguarding, CPR / AED, First Aid, and Oxygen Supplement and Blood Pathogens. ALA is offering the new professional lifeguard renewal or recertification program to the new material for people who have been Lifeguards in the past.

The goal of the American Lifeguarding course is to teach candidates the knowledge and skills necessary to prevent and respond to aquatic emergencies. Course content and activities prepare candidates to quickly and effectively recognize and respond to emergencies and prevent drowning and injury. Below you will find a list of skills that will be covered in this course.

The training program requires good physical fitness. We recommend consulting with your healthcare professional before participating in the practice sessions. If there is a medical condition or disability that could prevent participation in the activities, or if there are questions about full participation in the Lifeguard course, please contact us by email to discuss this before the course begins.

You can be any age to enroll in the course, but US Labor Laws require you to be 15 or older to work in a pool, water park, or lake, and 18 or older to work on the beaches. To successfully pass the full Lifeguard course, you must be able to demonstrate the following skills:

– 300 meters continuously, using these styles in the following order:

 -100 meters freestyle using rhythmic breathing and a stabilizing thruster kick. Rhythmic breathing can be performed by breathing to the side or to the front. 100 meter chest style using a sequence of pull, breathe, kick and slide. The 100 yards can be a combination of freestyle and breaststroke. Starting in the water, swim 20 yards using tracking or front breaststroke, dive to a depth of 7-10 feet, retrieve a 10 pound object, resurface, swim 20 meters back to where you started with the object, and exit from the water without using a ladder or steps, within 1 minute, 40 seconds.

If your swimming skills are not strong, but you can swim at least 50 meters and meet the brick test requirements, you may receive a shallow water lifeguard card. At any time in the future if your swimming skills rise to the level of deep water requirements, we will issue the professional lifeguard card that will allow you to protect in both deep and shallow water pools at no additional cost.

 Upon successful completion of the Lifeguard course, each participant will receive a Lifeguard Certificate, CPR / AED for the professional resuscitator and first aid, all of which are valid for 2 years according to the new 2012 standards.

REQUIREMENTS FOR RECERTIFICATION OR RENEWEL

If you will go for a recertification or renewal process then you will have to pass the following tests

SWIMMING SKILLS

• Only “yes” to the following questions will make you able to pass this test, you will pass the swimming test portion of the lifeguard certification requirements.
• Can you swim for 300 yards without stopping using the following 3 strokes in this order and with the proper form?
• Front crawl (freestyle) for 100 yards
• Breaststroke for 100 yards
• Either the front crawl or the breaststroke for the final 100 yards
• Can you retrieve a weight from the bottom of the pool within a time limit of 1 minute and 40 seconds?

Starting in the water, you must be able to swim for 20 yards as using the front crawl or the breaststroke. You after this must complete a surface dive to “rescue” a 10- weight that is 7–10 ft below the surface. Once the weight is retrieved, you must be able to swim back to the point from where you started (a distance of 20 yards) and you need to get out of pool without the help of steps or a ladder.

RESCUE SKILLS

1. Rescue entry for different situations.
2. Rescue approach: front crawl or breaststroke.
3. Simple assistance.
4. Extension assistance from the deck.
5. Assistance with rescue equipment or available equipment.
6. Rescue a victim in distress.
7. Rescue alternatives for desperate or passive victims.
8. Removal of a passive victim using immobilizer table.
9. Passive submerged victim-Shallow water.
10. Rescue of multiple victims.
11. Techniques of how to immerse yourself at the time of making rescue of submerged victim.
12. Submerged Victim-Deep Water.
13. Leak and block techniques to ensure our safety.

STANDARDIZED FIRST AID FOR HEAD, NECK OR BACK INJURIES

1. Manual online stabilization for a head, neck or back injury on the ground – Lying, sitting or standing.
2. Use an immobilizer board for a victim on the ground.
3. Head splint technique: Victim face up and face down in shallow water at or near the surface.
4. Head and chin support: victim face up, shallow water at or near the surface.
5. Head splint technique: victim face down, deep water at or near the surface.
6. Head and chin support: victim face up, deep water on or near surface.
7. Online stabilization for a submerged victim: face up, face down or on one side in deep water.
8. Using an immobilizer board in shallow and deep water.

CPR / AED FOR PROFESSIONAL RESCUE SKILLS

1. Initial evaluation
2. Rescue breathing: adults, children and infants
3. Use of a Mask, Valve and Bag Resuscitator, two rescuers
4. Conscious choking: adults, children and infants
5. Unconscious choking: adults, children and infants
6. CPR: adult, child and infants
7. CPR with two rescuers: adults, children and infants
8. Use of an AED-Adult and Child

FIRST AID SKILLS

1. Secondary evaluation
2. Identify and treat sudden illnesses
3. Identify and treat different types of wounds
4. Identify and treat different types of injuries

FINAL SKILL SCENARIOS TO BE DEMONSTRATED

1. Skill End Scenario 1 – Active Drowned Victim
2. Skill End Scenario 2 – Passive Submerged Victim
3. Final Skill Scenario 3- Head, neck and back injury

Keep in mind that there are several ways to care for a spinal injury in the water. In this scenario, the victim will be face down and the student will have to rotate the victim face up with their choice of any of the different methods for this purpose.