A lifeguard certification course is a minimum requirement for the different types of lifeguarding careers. The certificate is earned after passing a water safety course, and annual renewals and course updates are required to maintain this certification. Having a Red Cross instructor certificate allows lifeguards to teach swimming lessons.
All types of lifeguards must be strong swimmers in excellent health and fitness. Different types of lifeguard race locations include public swimming pools, public and private sports clubs, and beaches, schools with swimming pools, community recreation centers, hotels, and cruise ships.
Lifeguard Certification For Working As An Instructor
Lifeguard careers for sports clubs, schools, and community centers may require lifeguards to hold the lifeguard certification to teach swimming lessons and provide lifeguard services. In these settings, there may be multiple lifeguards and swim instructors to monitor client safety and teach people how to swim.
These positions may also involve pool cleaning and maintenance, such as adding chemicals and regularly keeping debris and trash out of the pool area. Pool lifeguards must follow rules such as no running on pool decks, as people could slip and fall on the hard surface.
Hospitality Based Careers
Hotel and cruise ship lifeguard careers are based on hospitality and are suited to people with a personable and mature personality, as these lifeguards live among their customers. A hotel lifeguard could live off-site, but cruise ship lifeguards certainly can’t when they’re on duty. However, travelling on a ship with perks like first-class food can help make up for the lack of total privacy.
Lifeguards at Public Beaches
Lifeguards who work at public beaches and parks may be hired by the city’s parks board. These types of lifeguard careers are often seasonal and lifeguards at park beaches and pools can only be hired for the summer.
If the beach closure occurs for any reason due to a park board decision on public safety, then the contracted lifeguard does not work or get paid. These can still be good positions for first responders who like to be outdoors in hot weather and have other income from work or attend school the rest of the year.
Work Wear For Lifeguards
Hats, T-shirts, and bathing suits or shorts are the standard work wear for all types of lifeguarding careers. A lifeguard should be ready to jump into the water at any sign of an emergency. Lifeguard clothing can be boldly branded with the word lifeguard. Lifeguard chairs are usually very high and located near the water’s edge, so lifeguards are close to swimmers and have a good view of the entire swimming area.
What Are The Top Lifeguard Jobs?
There are different careers that a lifeguard certification course can open doors to. Lifeguards are essential members of any beach community. In most places, they are required by law to be certified before they can work.
This means that you can find them on most public beaches. If you are interested in becoming a lifeguard, then you must know what your options are, and how much you will make as a lifeguard. Lifeguard Job Description The primary responsibility of a lifeguard is to ensure the safety of swimmers in the water.
Requirements To Become A Lifeguard
Lifeguard training to become a lifeguard, an applicant must go through a series of lifeguard classes that last between 4 to 6 months. Applicants must also meet the minimum age requirement for their state, which varies from 18 to 21 depending on the state.
The United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) offers lifeguard training courses in all 50 states. The USLA offers the following types of lifeguard training: Basic Lifeguard classes is an entry-level course for those who want to be a lifeguard.
Lifeguard Careers
Lifeguards can start careers as private swimming instructors, but the job is not for the faint-hearted. The role of a lifeguard in Australia is one that many people are not aware of. For the vast majority of Australians, a lifeguard is simply someone who stands on a beach and supervises swimmers.
But for some, it is an entirely different experience. It’s a job where you must be fit and agile. You must be able to handle the stress of being at the end of a rope, ready to pull a swimmer from the water if needed.
Final Words
Lifeguard certification can be obtained from different training institutes that are reputable and accepted by government authorities. The American Lifeguard Association (ALA) is one of the best-reputed organizations that is providing lifeguard training for more than 30 years now. ALA has been quoted for water safety in national print and electronic media.
ALA has many different types of lifeguard training programs that are available throughout the year. These training programs are for shallow and deep water. They have pools and beach lifeguard certification programs.
For more information on lifeguard courses from ALA, please contact us.