Step-by-Step Lifeguard CPR Certification & Training
The purpose of lifeguard training is to produce an individual who others can rely upon in stressful circumstances where lives are at stake. If you’re aware of this and still want to be a lifeguard, then be prepared to undergo a training regime tailored for heroes.
Entry-level trainees are equipped with all the knowledge and skills they need for the job, but to become certified, those skills need to be verified. Participants must take several independent tests in different scenarios, as well as pass a written exam.
You can learn life-saving skills independently of lifeguard training, as well. One of the crucial skills needed is performing CPR, AED (automated external defibrillator) and First Aid. This is where CPR Northwest can help you with hands-on training programs and top instructors.
Facts About Lifeguard CPR Training
Lifeguard training is usually scheduled for spring or summer – don’t wait too late to get your training and certification.
Lifeguard-specific CPR training will equip you with the skills you need to react to aquatic-based situations where your CPR skills usually only get applied when you’re still under an adrenaline rush after swimming as fast as you can and then carrying a grown human to the shore.
Keep in mind that this is a stressful situation in 5 ways at once. First of all, lifeguards spend most of their time on the shore where it can get quite hot. With your body so heated up, you are expected to jump into water that is sometimes very cold.
Apart from having to stay focused and vigilant constantly, your body may experience a state of shock before you can even get to the afflicted person who’s either far away from the shore or could even be completely under water.
Lifeguard Job Requirements
Lifeguard Prerequisite standards are set by the American Red Cross:
You need to be at least 15 years old to become a lifeguard. Usually, that means that by the time of the last day of the course you attend, you need to be at least 15.
Attendance to all courses (25-30 hours of training courses)
Continuous 300-yard swim using the breaststroke, front crawl, or both. Appropriate breath control must be displayed.
Tread water without using hands for 2 minutes.
A timed event including swimming, diving, retrieving an object and then emerging from the water without using ladders or steps.
What to Expect on A Lifeguard CPR Test
As a lifeguard, taking a CPR class can provide you with the ability to artificially provide oxygen to the patient’s body, giving them the best chance for survival until EMS (emergency medical services) arrive at the scene.
At a lifeguard readiness test, you’ll be having to wade through water, swim, dive, and perform a perception and awareness test for listening and vision. At CPR NW, you’ll focus on learning what to do when you already have access to the patient, and this is what you can be tested for:
Performing the CPR procedure
Performing the AED procedure
Performing First Aid
CPR and Lifeguard Certification
Performing CPR, AED and First Aid goes hand in hand with lifeguard and rescue team training.
The American Red Cross has a great manual on Lifeguarding. We highly recommend you read it before taking the Certificate test and keep your knowledge and skills refreshed. It has a whole chapter on cardiac emergencies: see Chapter 9 in the manual.
Heart attacks occur mostly during what’s called “ventricular fibrillation” (V-Fib). This is when chambers in the heart muscle (ventricles) can’t contract simultaneously due to disorderly nerve impulses.
This is where blood flow can get drastically reduced and all cells (most importantly the brain) get drained of oxygen rapidly.
To effectively react to a cardiac emergency, as a lifeguard you must have adequate timing because, in situations where the body is not getting oxygen, the difference between life and death is measured in mere seconds.
While you may perform outstandingly on the test itself and receive proper certification, it’s up to you to keep a high standard because skill decline is steep and can completely nullify most of the training you’ve had if you don’t practice for months after getting certified.
How Long Does Lifeguard Certification Last?
A certified lifeguard license expires 2-3 years after the date of issue. The exact time depends on the state where it’s issued. In Washington state, you’ll have to renew your license every 2 years.
A license must be reissued after passing the same tests again. According to the ARC (American Red Cross), there’s also an option of taking so-called Refresher Courses, from learning rescue skills and First Aid to spotting dangerous behaviors and proper handling of cardiac arrest.
According to a review conducted by the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council, this is because:
It only takes 2 months for your skills to start declining.
Less than half of course participants can pass a skills test one year after training!
This data is startling at first, but that’s why license renewal is in place and is obligatory.
Students at CPR Northwest who attend the CPR, AED & First Aid course will receive one of 2 certification cards (the only difference is the company):
A 2-year AHA (American Heart Heartsavers) CPR AED
A 2-year HSI (Health and Safety Institute) Certification card
CPR Lifeguard Recertification – Licence Renewal
It is advised that you renew your license after taking review courses before your license expires (within 30 days of expiring).
Training and getting certified for CPR/AED is different from the license you get as a lifeguard. If at any point, you wish to switch to a different profession, you can keep renewing your CPR/AED license independently from your lifeguard license.
Final Summation
Lifeguarding is not for the faint of heart. If you want to save lives, learn from the best. CPR Northwest is the best at what it does – we provide the top trainers to give you hands-on practice in life-saving skills.
An experienced trainer is more than meets the eye. Such people can not only teach skills that will allow you to pass a test (anyone can learn to pass a test) but how to actually remain calm in stressful situations and be sure of your knowledge. You can’t access what you know under a state of panic, so don’t just rely on what you know.
Certifications last for 2 years but it’s up to you to keep your skills sharp. You can take refresher courses if you wish – this is recommended after a long pause.
Is CPR Northwest Right For You
Our classes are performed six days a week at the training headquarters. For on-site training, We offer a 10% discount for on-site training and we don’t charge extra for each manikin, AED and pocket mask we bring, unlike some of our competitors.
We serve Seattle, Eastside and South Sound, so if you’re anywhere near these areas, give us a call!
How To Schedule A Class
CPR Northwest has a calendar page with scheduled dates for each type of training you want to undergo:
Adult CPR, AED and First Aid
BLS Healthcare Provider
Adult/Child/Infant CPR, AED & First Aid
Private onsite training
Basic Life Support for Executive Protection
Keep in mind that the “Adult CPR, AED and First Aid” class is our most popular training program and you might need to look further down the calendar to find a free spot.