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Shallow Water Lifeguard Certification

r. 24 Shallow Water Lifeguarding (Water Up To 5, 6, or 7 feet) 

Purpose

The primary purpose of the courses in the American Red Cross Lifeguarding program is to provide participants with the knowledge and skills needed to: 
? Prevent, recognize and respond to aquatic emergencies.
? Provide professional-level care for breathing and cardiac emergencies, injuries, and sudden illnesses until emergency medical services (EMS) professionals take over. Shallow Water Lifeguarding (water up to 5, 6, or 7 feet) training is conducted and evaluated in water depths ranging from 0 feet to water 5, 6, or 7 feet, depending on the maximum depth of the facility in which the training is conducted. 
To participate in the Shallow Lifeguarding (Water up to 5, 6, or 7 feet) course, participants must: 
? Be at least 15 years old on or before the final scheduled session of the Lifeguarding course.
? Successfully complete the two prerequisite swimming skills evaluations: 
Prerequisite 1: Complete a swim-tread-swim sequence without stopping to rest: 
Prerequisite 2: Complete a timed event within 50 seconds: 
• Jump into the water and totally submerge, resurface then swim 50 yards using the front crawl, breaststroke or a combination of both. (Swimming on the back or side is not permitted. Swim goggles are allowed) 
• Maintain position at the surface of the water for 2 minutes by treading water using only the legs, floating, or both
 • Swim 50 yards using the front crawl, breaststroke or a combination of both 
• Starting in the water, swim 20 yards. (The face may be in or out of the water. Swim goggles are not allowed).
 • Submerge to a depth of 4 - 7 feet to retrieve a 10-pound object.
 • Return to the surface and walk or swim 20 yards on the back to return to the starting point, holding the object at the surface with both hands and keeping the face out at or near the surface. 
• Exit the water without using a ladder or steps. 
Course Length
There are two delivery options for taking the Shallow Water Lifeguarding course. 
? Instructor-led training (ILT) Shallow Water Lifeguarding course is conducted by a Red Cross
? Blended learning (BL) combines online sessions with in-person sessions conducted by a Red Cross certified Lifeguarding instructor. Total course instruction time is 27 hours, 30 minutes: 
The online session for the Shallow Water Lifeguarding course has 16 modules and takes approximately 6 hours to complete all modules of the online session. Each individual module takes approximately 15 – 30 minutes to complete. 
The total instruction time for the in-person sessions, including the precourse session, is 21 hours, 30 minutes. Expect additional time to be added to the course length to accommodate breaks/transitions. 
Participant Course Materials 
American Red Cross Lifeguarding Manual (print or eBook) Shallow Water Lifeguarding course participants must have access to their own manual throughout the course. When using a digital manual, a tablet or laptop should be used during class to ensure proper viewing. The instructor of the course will provide access to obtain the eBook.
You may purchase a Hip-pack when you register for $25. (This includes a CPR mask and whistle.) 
Please be prepared to provide your instructor with proof that you completed the online portion using one of the following methods: 
  • Print your online course completion record available at the end of the course and show it to your instructor – it will read “Proceed to Skill Session”
  • Show your instructor the email you received confirming completion of the online portion  
  • Log in to the online portion and show your instructor the completion status that appears above the  “Launch Course” button.
Please make sure that the participant's email is correct when registering for the course. The email must be the participant's. The participant will receive an email with a link to create an account for American Red Cross learning center to complete the online portion of the lifeguard course.


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