Lifeguard Course • Register • View Cart •

Welcome to the American Red Cross Lifeguard Course. The primary purpose of this course is to provide entry-level lifeguard participants with the knowledge and skills to prevent, recognize and respond to aquatic emergencies and to provide professional-level care for breathing and cardiac emergencies, injuries and sudden illnesses until emergency medical services (EMS) personnel take over.

Please take note that this is a blended learning class. Which means participants are required to complete online content prior to the first day of class independent of the instructor. As well a portion of the theoretical content will be delivered in-person.

• This course is a combination of blended learning (online), and in person skills demonstration.
• The online portion of the course will take approximately 5-7 hours.
• Participants will need to contact P&R to obtain the link to access the blended learning section of the course.
• The session link will act as self-service platform that allows participants immediate access to simulation learning via a single link per course and gives participants an easy log-in process to begin accessing these courses quickly.
• An electronic copy of the lifeguard book is available at the bottom of the program page. Hard copies may be obtained at the pool office.
• Participants must complete the online portion of the class prior to the first day of the course.
• Participants must bring their certificate of achievement to the first day of the course to be guaranteed a spot in the course.
• Participants who commit to a minimum of 8-12 months of employment with P&R are eligible for a free access to the Lifeguard Course.

• Prerequisites will be held on the first day of class (date to be determined)
• Location: Wrangell Parks & Recreation
• Age: 15 & Up
• 300 Yard Swim: 6 continuous laps (front crawl, breaststroke or both)
• Tread Water: 2 minutes using ONLY legs
• Brick Retrieval: swim 20 yards, retrieve 10lb brick from a depth of 7-10 feet with both hands, return to surface, swim on back holding brick on chest 20 yards, complete in 2 minutes or less
• LG Class Orientation, Introduction & LG Course content

• Instructors: Devyn Johnson and Lucy Robinson
• Office #907-874-2444
• Email: lrobinson@wrangell.com

• To be a certified Lifeguard, candidates must:
• Complete the online session prior to the first day of in person sessions
• Attend the entire course and participate in all class sessions
• Actively participate in all course activities, including assuming various roles, during scenarios
• Demonstrate competency in all required skills
• Pass the final skills scenarios
• Successfully pass final written exams with a minimum grade of 80 %. If a participant fails to reach the minimum 80% on the final written exam, a retest is allowed using the other version of the exam, provided that the learner has passed the final skills assessment

• Candidates must:
• Meet the age requirement.
• Demonstrate proficiency in all of the prerequisite skills.
• Describe the characteristics and responsibilities of a professional lifeguard.
• Explain how to fulfill the responsibilities of a professional lifeguard
• Define certain legal considerations and apply them to situations that might be encountered in lifeguarding.
• Describe ongoing training for lifeguards.
• Describe what it means to work as part of a lifeguard and safety team.
• Describe the role lifeguards play in ensuring facility safety.
• Identify how to ensure the safety of patrons when weather conditions create safety concerns.
• Describe the role that facility management plays in facility safety.
• Describe the drowning process.
• Identify the behaviors of a swimmer, distressed swimmer, and an active and a passive victim.
• Identify and define elements of effective surveillance.
• Explain proper scanning techniques and identify tactics to overcome scanning challenges.
• Identify various types of zones of surveillance.
• Explain how communication with patrons plays a role in preventing
• Explain patron surveillance techniques for various activities.
• Identify how to recognize and care for a victim of poisoning, heat-related illnesses and cold related emergencies. Demonstrate the ability to work as a team to implement an EAP, perform a secondary assessment and provide first aid care.
• Identify possible causes of head, neck or spinal injuries on land.
• Identify signs and symptoms of head, neck or spinal injuries.
• Demonstrate how to care for victims with head, neck or spinal injuries on land.
• Demonstrate how to perform front and rear head-hold escapes.
• Demonstrate how to give in-water ventilations.
• Demonstrate how to perform a quick extrication of a victim from the water.
• Demonstrate how to care for victims with head, neck and spinal injuries in shallow and deep water.
• Demonstrate how to care for a victim with a head, neck or spinal injury in shallow water.
• Demonstrate how to rescue an active victim in deep water.
• Demonstrate how to rescue a submerged passive victim in deep water and provide care.

• Lifeguard Manual, Pen, Paper
• Swimsuit, Towel, Goggles
• Snack, Water
• Sweats (optional) alternate between land and water skills