Shallow Water Lifeguarding & Pretest – What you need to know:

Work as a lifeguard this summer and spend your days in the fresh air and warm summer sun. Many pools now offer a shallow water lifeguarding opportunity as well as traditional lifeguarding. By becoming certified as a shallow water lifeguard, you will learn the skills to create a safe swimming environment in communities with pools under 5 feet deep.

The training is designed to arm you with the skills and knowledge you’ll need to prepare for a variety of scenarios in and around the water. Through this training, you will learn how quick response times and effective preparation are vital to being a lifeguard. You’ll also understand the crucial elements needed to help prevent drownings and injuries.

The primary purpose of the shallow water lifeguarding (0-5 ft.) is to train lifeguards to act with speed and confidence in emergency situations, both in and out of the water, for facilities with water depths up to 5 ft. Topics include water rescue skills, surveillance and recognition, first aid, breathing and cardiac emergencies, CPR, AED, and more.

How to Pass the Shallow Water Lifeguarding Pretest:

Candidates must:

• Be at least 15 years old on or before the final scheduled session of the course.
• Complete the following swimming prerequisites:

For facilities that are up to 5 feet deep:

• Swim 50 yards continuously. You may swim using the front crawl, breaststroke or a combination of both, but swimming on the back or side is not allowed. Swim goggles may be used.
• Complete a timed event within 50 seconds:
  • Starting in the water, swim 10 yards underwater using front crawl or breaststroke.
  • Submerge to a depth of 4 to 5 feet to retrieve a 10-pound object. Return to the surface and walk or swim 10 yards to return to the starting point with both hands holding the object at the surface of the water.
  • Exit the water without using a ladder or steps.

Once you have successfully completed the pretest, you will move on to the certification process which consists of two options:

• Course length: 22 hours in-person/7 hours online -Total – 29 hours

Click here for the Class Syllabus.

Guard for Life provides several training opportunities year-round, just find and register for a training course near you. Don’t forget to apply for a position today to work at a pool near you!