Lifeguard

If you are 15 or older and looking for a great summer job or a challenging career, one that will help you develop skills and experience that will be valued by colleges and future employers, American Red Cross Lifeguarding is the best place to start. Through online & classroom learning as well hands-on practice, you’ll learn:

  • Surveillance skills to help you recognize and prevent injuries
  • Rescue skills – in the water and on land
  • First aid training and professional rescuer CPR – to help you prepare for any emergency
  • Professional lifeguard responsibilities like interacting with the public and addressing uncooperative patrons

Please note this class is taught via the Red Cross Blended Learning Method, meaning prior to your in person session at the Marist School, all students must complete ~10 hours of online course work. Upon arriving to class, student’s must provide their instructors a printed copy of the online completion report. If the student does not have the online portion of the class completed, they are forced to transfer to a new date by contacting Tahlia Pate via e-mail at training@atlantaswimming.com

Atlanta Swimming
Lifeguard Training

The PREMIERE provider of American Red Cross Aquatic Safety Training in Atlanta 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019. 2020, 2021

Why AtlantaSwimming.com Lifeguard Training Center is the BEST!

When shopping for a Lifeguard training class please make sure that you are comparing “Apples to Apples.” Our training classes are all taught in a professional climate controlled class room with the latest technology to deliver the cognitive portion of the class. We have a heated indoor pool. We also have enough training equipment that during individual drills each student will have his own equipment. This allows each student more practice time and less down time waiting. This also allows the class to move at a steady pace as the students master the skills. Our Instructors have a combine experience teaching this class of over 40 years. We also have a 98% pass rate. Not because we pass all students, but because we have a proven method that works and instructors that go the extra mile to make our students successful! Our primary focus is training. We are not a pool service company or staffing agency, we only train Lifeguards! This allows us to focus on training Lifeguards NOT filling an employment roster! We do work with several employers around town and can put you in touch with several pools that are hiring for the summer. We will not be beat on value or price.

How to Pick the correct Lifeguard Training Class and Training Center for you !

All lifeguard certification agencies have an authorized provider network that is used to provide training for their certification courses. However, each authorized provider is not the same. While they all offer the same certification in the end, the student does not always receive the same materials, instruction, or support. Know before you buy! Check out our buying guide by clicking the toggle below.

Atlanta Swimming Lifeguard Training
The PREMIERE provider of American Red Cross Aquatic Safety Training in Atlanta
2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019


Lifeguard Training Course Buyers Guide
What you need to ask and know about picking a course and a training facility that is right for you!

All lifeguard certification agencies have an Authorized Provider network that is used to provide training for their certification courses. However, all Authorized Providers are not the same! While they each offer a valid certification, the student does not always receive the same materials, instruction, or support. Know before you buy—ask the questions listed in our Buying Guide:


Version:
What version of Lifeguard Training is offered? Most facilities accept American Red Cross Lifeguard Training for their employees, and most training centers offer it. However, the Red Cross Lifeguard Training course underwent a major revision for 2012. Changes in techniques based on actual emergencies and research in areas of CPR and First Aid were implemented. Teaching materials were completely revised. However, some training centers continue to teach the older version; this is also the main reason for price differences. Perhaps more importantly, you would want to be trained in the LATEST techniques in the event of an emergency, where YOU would be responsible for knowing and using them to protect the lives of your patrons!
Experience:
How long have the instructors been certified and taught Lifeguard and CPR/First Aid Classes? What are their backgrounds in instruction and employment? This is important to consider, as teaching techniques can vary greatly. Look for instructors that are mature and experienced in classroom methods for a variety of learning styles. Experienced professional teachers and coaches usually provide the best instruction, as they understand how learning best takes place with a variety of students, and provide better class management.
Materials:
Do you get to keep the books and resuscitation masks provided, or are they returned at the end of the course? The Lifeguard Manual should be a tool for ongoing review and reference for what you are trained to do. In the brief instructional period required for certification, there is potential for loss of retention of the material. Being able to review and practice the material throughout the season, and look up answers to questions about techniques and procedures is essential to thorough knowledge and mastery of a Lifeguard’s responsibilities.
Training Equipment:
Does the training centers have enough equipment for each student or team of students to have their own to use in the drills and scenarios, or is the equipment in short supply? When there is not enough training equipment to go around much of the time in class that is counted as “instructional time” is actually spent as “wait time” for shared equipment? More actual time spent practicing the techniques is essential to mastering the skills.
After-Class Resources:
Does the training centers use social media such as their own Website, Facebook pages, and Twitter accounts? These can be great resources for networking with other lifeguards and instructors, and an invaluable source of information on techniques, emergency situations, employment opportunities, and social contacts.
Facilities:
Where does the instruction take place? Is the classroom instruction in a well-equipped, climate-controlled room with desks, or on the pool deck or in the mechanical room? What audio-visual equipment is available for the training videos? How are the written tests administered? Is the pool indoors or outdoors? Is it a heated pool? Are there adequate facilities for changing, restrooms, and lunch/snack breaks? Student comfort is essential for proper learning, practice, and testing in the academic portions of the class.
Price:
What is the monetary cost? What form or forms of payment are accepted? What is the refund policy for those who cannot complete the course, must withdraw from the course, or fail the course? Is there a policy for make-up of missed classes? At the end of the class do you get your certification or does the training center hold it until you complete your employment with them?All agencies set their own prices and policies. By asking the proper questions, you can see if a lower price is really getting you the instructional advantages you need to be the best and most professional Lifeguard you can be.
Parents:
If your child is considering employment as a Lifeguard, your role is much more involved than, say, helping him or her obtain and keep a job at the local fast-food establishment! Because a Lifeguard is considered a Professional Rescuer, you and your child need to ask the questions above when selecting a training center for Lifeguard Training. As a Professional Rescuer, your child—and, in a larger sense, you as their parent– will be responsible for the lives of people in an aquatic environment. Receiving the BEST possible training available for your child should be your first and most important concern in selecting your training center! Click Here for more information on the parents role when their minor child is a lifeguard.

Beginning Lifeguard Training Courses