Lifeguard Certification and Recertification in Delaware County

If you visit swimming pools, lakes, or water recreation areas in Delaware County, you will notice lifeguards on duty to help protect swimmers and prevent emergencies. A lifeguard’s essential job is to reduce risk, enforce safety rules, and respond quickly when someone needs help—responsibilities that require professional training. Lifeguard training in Delaware County serves this purpose by preparing individuals to safeguard swimmers at pools, lakes, waterparks, and community aquatic facilities.

Delaware County offers many opportunities for outdoor recreation, especially during warmer months when swimming activity increases. Seasonal programs, camps, and community swim areas can become busy, which creates strong demand for trained lifeguards. For people who enjoy the water and want a meaningful role in public safety, lifeguarding in Delaware County can be a rewarding path.

Lifeguards in Delaware County

Lifeguards serve at beaches, lakes, waterparks, and swimming pools throughout Delaware County to keep swimmers safe. Their work includes monitoring designated zones, identifying hazards early, assisting distressed swimmers, and delivering first aid or CPR/AED when needed.

Lifeguard training in Delaware County is the first step toward building a career in aquatics. Once certified by a trusted organization such as the American Lifeguard Association (ALA), candidates become well-positioned to seek employment at pools, recreation programs, camps, and waterfront facilities in Delaware County.

ALA training supports both seasonal and continuing opportunities, depending on the facility and schedule.

About the American Lifeguard Association

The American Lifeguard Association (ALA) is supported by Global Lifeguards and the Swimming Pool and Spa Foundation, both 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations dedicated to reducing drownings and improving aquatic safety.

ALA’s mission is to make swimming pools, beaches, and waterways safer. To achieve this mission, ALA works directly with employers across North America to train lifeguards and promote strong aquatic safety practices—helping facilities improve readiness and professionalism in Delaware County.

ALA has been referenced by public health and safety organizations, including:

• The CDC Healthy Swimming Program
• The U.S. Department of Labor
• The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA)

Since the early 1990s, ALA has aligned its programs with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements. Training reflects current Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) science and aligns with Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC) recommendations for pre-service evaluations and in-service training.

Requirements for Lifeguard Training in Delaware County

To enroll in the American Lifeguard Association’s lifeguard training course in Delaware County, candidates must meet the minimum age requirements generally recognized nationwide:

• 15 years or older to work at a swimming pool, waterpark, or lake

• 16 years or older to work at a beach or waterfront facility

Candidates must also demonstrate the following ALA prerequisite skills to successfully complete the program:

Swim 300 Yards Continuously (in this order)

• 100 yards of front crawl with rhythmic breathing and a stabilizing, propulsive kick

• 100 yards of breaststroke using a pull, breath, kick, and glide sequence

• 100 yards of either front crawl or breaststroke (or a combination of both)

Timed Event (1 minute, 40 seconds)

Starting in the water, the candidate must:

• Swim 20 yards using front crawl or breaststroke

• Surface dive 7–10 feet to retrieve a 10-pound object

• Return to the surface and swim 20 yards back to the starting point with the object

• Exit the water without using steps or a ladder

• Complete all within 1 minute and 40 seconds

Certification Validity

Upon successful completion, each participant receives:

• American Lifeguard Certificate (Lifeguarding)

• CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer

• First Aid Certification

These credentials are typically valid for two years.

Lifeguarding in Delaware County: Long-Term Career Options

Although many people begin lifeguarding as a summer job, it can grow into a long-term profession. In Delaware County, year-round opportunities may exist through indoor aquatic programs, structured recreation facilities, and ongoing community initiatives that need trained lifeguards.

With additional training and experience, lifeguards can advance into roles such as:

• Water Safety Instructor

• Swim Coach

• Aquatic Supervisor or Manager

These positions offer higher responsibility, leadership opportunities, and long-term professional growth in aquatic safety within Delaware County.

Learning Skills with Lifeguard Training in Delaware County

During the ALA lifeguard training course, participants develop a comprehensive set of skills across rescue techniques, CPR/AED, and First Aid.

Rescue Skills

• Slide-In Entry

• Stride and Compact Jumps

• Rescue Approach (front crawl or breaststroke)

• Simple Assist

• Extension Assist from the Deck

• Reaching Assist with Equipment and Throwing Assist

• Swimming Extension Rescue

• Active and Passive Drowning Victim Rescues

• Two-Person Removal from the Water Using a Backboard

• Passive Submerged Victim in Shallow Water

• Multiple-Victim Rescue

• Feet-First Surface Dive

• Submerged Victim Recovery in Deep Water

• Front and Rear Head-Hold Escapes

• Caring for Head, Neck, or Back Injury Skills

• Manual In-Line Stabilization on Land (lying down, sitting, or standing)

• Using a Backboard for a Standing Victim on Land

• Head Splint Technique (face-up victim, shallow water at or near surface)

• Head Splint Technique (face-down victim, shallow water at or near surface)

• Head and Chin Support (face-up victim, shallow water at or near surface)

• Head and Chin Support (face-down victim, shallow water at or near surface)

• Head Splint Technique (face-up victim, deep water at or near surface)

• Head Splint Technique (face-down victim, deep water at or near surface)

• Head and Chin Support (face-up victim, deep water at or near surface)

• In-Line Stabilization for a Submerged Victim (face-up, face-down, or on one side in deep water)

• Using a Backboard in Shallow and Deep Water

CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer Skills

• Removing Gloves

• Performing an Initial Assessment

• Rescue Breathing (adult, child, infant)

• Using a Bag-Valve-Mask Resuscitator (two rescuers)

• Conscious Choking (adult, child, infant)

• Unconscious Choking (adult, child, infant)

• CPR (adult, child, infant)

• Two-Rescuer CPR (adult, child, infant)

• Using an AED (adult and child)

First Aid Skills

• Secondary Assessment

• Controlling External Bleeding

• Applying a Sling and Binder

• Applying an Anatomic Splint

• Applying a Soft Splint

Final Skill Scenarios

• Active Drowning Victim

• Submerged Passive Drowning Victim

• Head, Neck, or Back Injury

Final Thought

The primary role of lifeguard training is to prepare individuals to keep swimmers safe through prevention, surveillance, and fast emergency response. Lifeguards often monitor their area from elevated chairs to improve visibility, patrol open-water zones when required, and use rescue equipment to respond effectively.

The American Lifeguard Association is recognized as a leading aquatic health and safety training provider in the United States. With more than 30 years of experience, ALA delivers training guided by strong ethics and a commitment to excellence.

For lifeguard training in Delaware County, if you are searching for “lifeguard training near me,” the American Lifeguard Association is the right choice. For more information on ALA lifeguard training and certification programs, please contact us.