Types of lifeguard certification in the United States

As you plan your lifeguard career, you will initially have to decide on your favorite aquatic environment that you would like to work in and obtain the required qualification for that environment, as each certification provides training in different knowledge and skills.

For example, if you love to surf and would like to work on the beach, only the surf lifeguard certification would allow you to work as a lifeguard on the beach. Holders of the Basic Lifeguard certification are eligible to serve as a lifeguard in swimming pools only. You should keep this in mind when enrolling in a training course.

Currently, you can find several types of lifeguard training and certifications in the United States:

• Lifeguard certification – holders act as lifeguards in common pools
• Lifeguard facing the sea – Holders act as lifeguards inside non-surf open water locations such as national lakes, fish ponds, and also rivers.
• Water park lifeguard – holders act as lifeguards in water parks
• Shallow water lifeguard – Holders act as lifesavers within normal aquatic environments that can be up to 4 to 5 feet deep, such as in children’s pools, rivers, and shallow private pools
• Surf lifeguard – headlines act as lifesavers in surfing environments like ocean beaches, which is the most demanding and dangerous place

The actual standards associated with lifeguard qualification are generally set through the American Red Cross, the USLA, and Jeff Ellis and Associates, while the American Lifeguard Association sets the standards for open water surfing.

To start a lifeguard profession, you will need to meet various physical requirements and have the required certifications as described above. The most common method of obtaining certificates is usually through a qualification training program provided or co-organized with the organizations listed below:

• the american red cross
• the Starfish Aquatic Institute
• the Boy Scouts of America
• the National Aquatic Safety Company (NASCO)
• the YMCA
• the city of Los Angeles
• Jeff Ellis and Associates

Ratings issued by these organizations are likely to be recognized and accepted by business owners as well as federal corporations in the United States. Many educational institutions, marine centers with hobby facilities, or swimming pools offer American Red Cross-approved lifeguard qualification classes.

The American Red Cross is probably the most accepted certification. Red Cross certified lifeguards may do better when searching for jobs, especially in competitive regions.

But if you want to be a lifeguard on the beach, you must have taken the surf lifeguard certification course. The curriculum is defined by the American Salvage Association. You must find a USLA certified training organization for surf lifeguard certification training.

In Los Angeles, receiving training and obtaining certification offered by the City of Los Angeles is the most preferred way to enter the lifeguard profession.