American Red Cross Lifeguarding Class
Spring 2017
This American Red Cross certification course trains swimmers to become lifeguards. It covers the skills and knowledge required for effective lifeguarding at swimming pools and at non-surf, open-water beaches. Participants must be at least 15 years old and must be able to pass a swimming test given on the first day of class. Fee includes the cost of books and equipment.
Sessions Available:
- March 13-17
- May 22-26
Time: Monday-Thursday: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and Friday: 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
Location: Building H
Price: FitRec Member/Student $225
Community $275
Registration Information
Registration Opens: Dec. 19
Registration Closes: 1 day before session starts
To register for the class, visit Membership Services or register online here.
Class Pre-Test
Participant must be able to pass the class pre-test before continuing with the rest of the certification.
- Swim 300 yards continuously using these strokes in the following order:
- 100 yards of front crawl using rhythmic breathing and a stabilizing, propelling kick. Rhythmic breathing can be performed either by breathing to the side or to the front.
- 100 yards of breaststroke.
- 100 yards of either front crawl using rhythmic breathing or breaststroke. The 100 yards may be a mixture of front crawl and breaststroke.
- 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 the object within 1 minute 40 seconds. Goggles are not allowed for this portion of the test.
- Tread water for 2 minutes without stopping while only using your legs. Hands should be placed under the armpits and the head must remain above the surface of the water.
Final Exams/Testing
Obtaining the lifeguard certification is dependent on the participant passing the final exams/lifeguard scenarios at the end of the course.
Certifications Earned following successful class completion
- American Red Cross Lifeguard Training (valid for 2 years)
- American Red Cross CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer (valid for 2 years)
- American Red Cross First Aid (valid for 2 years)
Class Location
Classes are held on the Moraine Valley Community College campus at the Health Fitness and Recreation Center. FitRec’s Aquatics Center is a lifeguarded facility that includes a four lane 25-yard lap pool. Water temperature is kept at 82 degrees, with depth ranges from 3ft-6in feet to 9 ft.
For more information about the Lifeguard Class, please contact Ewan Gall at galle2@morainevalley.edu or call (708) 608-4207.
