Getting Your Lifeguard Certification?

The first thing to do is decide where you want to work.

Who certifies you matters and some places will only accept American Red Cross certification, or only Ellis certification, etc... ARC and Ellis are the top 2 in the U.S. and in Canada it's the NLS. The cost of courses depends almost entirely on where you live and who is giving the classes. Where you live as in what state and city and even neighborhood. I found price differences of almost $100 depending on how far across town or the county line I was willing to go.

"In the United States there are several nationally recognized organizations that certify lifeguards. The American Red Cross (ARC) and its Lifeguarding program, American Lifeguard Association, the YMCA, Starfish Aquatics Institute (StarGuard), The City of Los Angeles [1], Jeff Ellis & Associates, the Boy Scouts of America, and National Aquatic Safety Company (NASCO). Many people go to these organizations to get their first aid and CPR certification that do not get the lifeguard certification." - Wikipedia

I agree with "M". The American Red Cross Lifeguard Training course is only good for jobs supervising swimming pools of 6' depth or less. I got certified from http://www.Lifeguard-Pro.org. They have like 7 different Lifeguard certification courses. You can pick the right one for you based on your job desires and swimming abilities. Even if you are a weak swimmer, you can choose the Shallow Pool Lifeguard certification course. The swimming requirement is easy for that course. Check'em out: http://www.Lifeguard-Pro.org.

I personally recommend lifeguard-pro.org for a lifeguard certification. I took the ARC course once and did not pass with my employer. I then took my course with lifeguard-pro and what a difference it made for me personally. I felt very confident in my skills and in my opinion they are the best. They are also internationally recognized. I also liked lifeguard-pro because the instructors were very professional. I disagree with the statement that most ppl hire if you have ARC because that is not true. I have had three different employers who gladly took my cert form lifeguard-pro.

I went to Lifeguard-Pro, too. You might be able to find a really cheap class somewhere, but it's worth it to pay for a class that will teach you correctly so you're not worried about whether or not you actually know how to save a life. My first CPR cert was free (I won't name any names, but it was a well-known company), and I walked away without knowing the first thing about CPR (nor did we cover AED). Now I feel confident that I was trained correctly, and I don't worry about whether I'm truly qualified to have my job. It's a good feeling. :-)

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Getting Your Lifeguard Certification?
I'm looking into getting my FirstAid/CPR/Lifeguard Certification and I found that Global Lifeguards Inc. and a few other places charge ~$300 to get them, and I was hoping others had acquired their certifications cheaper somewhere else, and if you could just tell me a little about the courses....

I agree with SHER. I took a lifeguard-pro.org lifeguard certification course. I was very professional. I used to be an American Red Cross lifeguard, but the courses sucked. They didn't teach me anything. The instructor just collected everyone's money and fell asleep while we e all watched a stupid video! I'll never use them again! Use www.Lifeguard-Pro.org for a professional lifeguard course.

Lifeguard Training Los Angeles

Lifeguard Certification Los Angeles

Lifeguard certification is normally done by either the Red Cross or the YMCA.

To begin a career in lifeguarding, you will have to fulfill a number of physical requirements and obtain the necessary certifications as a pre-requisite. The most common way to obtain lifeguard certificates is by signing up and completing a lifeguard certification course organized or co-organized by one of the following certification bodies in the United States:

the American Red Cross
the Starfish Aquatics Institute
the Boy Scouts of America
the National Aquatic Safety Company (NASCO)
the YMCA
the City of Los Angeles
Jeff Ellis and Associates

Lifeguard certification provided by these organizations are generally recognized and accepted by employers and government organization in the United States. Many universities, aquatic centers and recreational facilities with swimming pools offer lifeguard certification courses in collaboration with Red Cross.

The American Red Cross is probably the most recognized name in lifeguard certification. Lifeguards certified by the Red Cross may have an edge over others when looking for jobs, especially in competitive regions.