Who are the lifeguards?
A lifeguard is someone employed in swimming areas for the benefit of troubled swimmers in pools, beaches, water parks, etc.
They retrieve drowning swimmers in swimming pools and provide first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), or other emergency treatment.
Lifeguarding is a NOC Skill Level B Skilled Occupation. This means that you can apply for lifeguard jobs in college programs.
What does it take to become a lifeguard in USA?
If you are finding the answer to the question “Can anyone become a lifeguard in USA”, the answer is “no”.
There is no doubt that many requirements must be met before choosing a lifeguard as a career in USA.
These include:-
- Successful completion of university diploma education
- Must have one of three certifications including Standard First Aid & CPRlevelC or EmergencyFirstAidwithCPR-B certification
- bronze cross
- Bronze Medallion – Current age must be 13+. Alternatively you can go to Bronze Star
- National Lifeguard Course – Minimum age must be 15 years to take this course
What are lifeguard duties?
Below are lifeguard duties for swimmers and their employers.
- Monitor and direct all activity around the swimming area
- Swimmer records and reports to superiors
- Help people learn how to swim
- If there is an emergency in the swimming area, please take action. These include rescuing drowning people.
- First aid measures such as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
- Keep an eye out for designated areas to identify potential hazards
- Provide swimmers with details about the set of laws, regulations and policies in the swimming area
- Inform swimmers about possible risks before entering the pool and while swimming
- Cleaning and tidying of swimming areas
Why is working as a lifeguard in USA a good career?
It is justified for many reasons that becoming a lifeguard in USA is a rewarding career. Below are some of them.
- The services provided by lifeguards are sought after in USA. This makes it very easy to become a lifeguard in USA as there are many employment opportunities available.
- Lifeguards in USA have great prospects. One reason is that there are many swimming areas throughout USA provinces and territories.
- As a USA Lifeguard, you can use Express Entry’s Federal Skilled Trades Program to facilitate your immigration to USA.
- Finally, USA does not require lifeguards to be highly educated before starting a career. Therefore, university graduates are eligible for employment.
Steps to become a lifeguard in USA
Check out these easy 5 steps on how to work as a lifeguard in USA.
- Take the Bronze Medallion Course
- Enroll in the Bronze Cross Course
- Obtain a Standard First Aid (SFA) Certificate
- Take the National Lifeguard Course
- Find lifeguard jobs in USA
Step 1: Take the Bronze Medallion Course
The first step to working as a lifeguard in USA is enrolling in the Bronze Medallion Course. Universal Certification offering this course in USA include the lifeguard training near me and swimming
Enroll in this course to learn about water rescue, swim time limits, and CPR B-level training, among other water-related training. Remember that training should never be missed.
Eligibility Criteria to Take the Bronze Medallion Course
- Must be 13 years of age or older on the date of course completion
- LS Bronze Star (Optional)
- CL manual
Step 2: Register for the Bronze Cross Course
This course is more complex and advanced than the Bronze Medallion course. Provide lifeguard candidates dealing with emergencies with training in the use of specialized equipment, timed swimming, CPR C training, teamwork his rescue, and more.
Eligibility Criteria to Take and Complete the Bronze Cross Course
- Must have completed the Bronze Medallion course
- CL manual
- Attendance must not be missed and all trainings must be attended
Step 3: Obtain a Standard First Aid (SFA) Certificate
To work as a lifeguard in USA, you also need an SFA certificate. This certification requires recertification every two years.
A Standard First Aid certificate is available through the Universal Certification. It covers several trainings and lessons, including CPR C, seizures, head and spine injuries, and more.
To obtain Standard First Aid (SFA) certification in USA, you must be at least 12 years of age.
ALSO READ ABOUT: Swimming: 10 Benefits You Didn’t Know!
Step 4: Take a National Lifeguard Course
Taking this course builds on everything you learned in the Bronze Medallion or Bronze Cross course.
Another benefit of taking the National Lifeguard course is that it gives you insight into lifeguard principles.
Eligibility for Lifeguard Training Course
- Be at least 16 years old at the time of course completion
- Must have completed the Bronze Cross Course
- Standard first aid and CPRC or related courses
Step 5: Find Safeguard Jobs in USA
The final step in working as a lifeguard in USA is to start looking for jobs online and offline. How to get lifeguard jobs online like logging into job sites like LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, CareerBuilder, Eluta, Job Bank, Jobboom.
Additionally, an offline means of obtaining lifeguard jobs in USA is to seek assistance from your local employment agency.
