Lifeguard Certification Course

American Red Cross Lifeguard Certification Course

Also see the American Red Cross website.

Lifeguard Classes

Dates to be announced. Look for posters and flyers in the Student Recreation Center (SRC) announcing dates and for sign ups sheets.

* You must attend all classes to receive certification. No missed classes will be made up.*

General Information

Lifeguard training is a 37-hour course, which includes CPR for the Professional Rescuer (CPR/PR) and AED training. In this course, you will learn about the duties and responsibilities of a lifeguard and how to carry them out in a professional manner. You will also learn a number of lifeguarding skills, such as surveillance techniques, how to use rescue equipment, and how to manage a suspected spinal injury victim.

Cost:

$205- Vanderbilt Students and CURRENT Student Recreation Center Members

$240 – Community

The cost includes your lifeguard training manual, pocket mask, and your certificate of completion.

Registration

Payment due in full at time of registration. Cash/Check/Money order only (No Credit Cards) Please make checks out to Vanderbilt University. Registration can be done Monday – Friday from 8:30 am – 5:00 pm upstairs in the Student Recreation Center. Class size is limited, based on first come first serve. At this time, class will be limited to 6 participants, with a minimum of 4 participants.

Parking

VU Students/Faculty/Staff must have appropriate VU zone parking permit and/or park in metered spaces. Limited amount of metered spaces available (metered spaces are free of charge after 6pm Monday-Friday and all day Saturday and Sundays.)

Class Days/Times: - Class size is limited, based on first come first serve. Class sessions will be held in the Student Recreation Center classrooms and pool.

At this time, class will be limited to 6 participants, with a minimum of 4 participants.

Requirements

To enroll in a Lifeguard Training course, you must be 15 years old and proficient in the front crawl (freestyle), sidestroke, and breaststroke.

There will also be a pre-course session, in which you will be required to pass a skills test. The skills you will perform are as follows:

1.  Prospective participants must show that they can swim 300 yards using the following
     strokes in order without stopping:

• 100 yards of front crawl using rhythmic breathing and a stabilizing, propellant kick.  Rhythmic breathing can be performed either by breathing to the side or to the front.
• 100 yards of breaststroke using a pull, breathe, kick and glide sequence.
• 100 yards of either front crawl using rhythmic breathing or breaststroke.  These 100 yards may be a mixture of front crawl and breaststroke. NOTE:  There is not time requirement for this skill.

2. Start in the water, swim 20 yards using front crawl or breaststroke, surface dive to a depth of 7-10 feet, retrieve a 10-pound object, return to the surface, and swim 20 yards back to the starting point with object and exit the water without using a ladder or steps , within 1 minute 40 seconds. (NOTE:  When returning to the starting point, the candidate must hold the 10lb. object with both hands and must keep his or her face above the water.  This can be achieved by swimming on their back using a whip (breaststroke kick on their back) or a rotary (eggbeater) kick.

Upon successful completion of the American Red Cross Lifeguard Training course, you will receive an American Red Cross Lifeguard Training certificate valid for three years and a three year certification for First Aid. Along with the Lifeguard Training certificate, you will also receive a certificate in CPR with AED for the Professional Rescuer, which is valid for one year.

Contact

For additional information or questions please contact Kit Wilson at: kit.wilson@vanderbilt.edu or 343-1530.

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