Lifeguarding Courses

About the Course

Course Description & Format

The American Red Cross Lifeguarding program equips participants with the knowledge and skills to prevent, recognize, and respond to aquatic emergencies, and to provide care for breathing and cardiac emergencies, injuries, and sudden illnesses. Completion earns an American Red Cross Lifeguarding certification valid for two years.

Blended Learning Format

This course is delivered in a blended learning format — participants complete mandatory online coursework independently through the American Red Cross before attending a full in-person class day focused on hands-on skills practice and certification assessments.

What Participants Learn

🌊

Water Rescue

Safe techniques for rescuing distressed swimmers

👁️

Surveillance

Monitoring pools and identifying risk early

❤️

CPR / AED

Professional CPR and defibrillator use for all ages

🩹

First Aid

Managing injuries and emergencies until EMS arrives

🤝

Teamwork

Coordinating with lifeguards during emergencies

📋

Professional Standards

The responsibilities of a certified lifeguard

Enrollment & Participation Requirements

Participants must be 15 years of age or older on or before the last day of the course.

All participants are required to successfully complete a 2-part precourse skills test to confirm they can safely participate in the course. The tests are listed below for your review.

Test 1

Swim / Tread / Swim SequenceCompleted continuously — no stopping

1

Jump in, fully submerge, resurface, then swim 150 yards continuously.Front crawl or breaststroke only. Goggles permitted.

2

Tread water for 2 minutes using legs only.Hands and arms must remain still throughout.

3

Swim an additional 50 yards using front crawl or breaststroke.

Test 2 — Timed

Timed Brick RetrievalMust be completed within 1 minute 40 seconds

1

Swim 20 yards from in the water.Face may be in or out of water. No goggles allowed for this test.

2

Surface dive to 7–10 feet and retrieve a 10-pound object.Feet-first or head-first dive — both are acceptable.

3

Return 20 yards on the back, holding the object with both hands, face at or near the surface.

4

Exit the water without using a ladder or steps.

Before the In-Person Day

Complete the online course first

After registering, participants receive mandatory online coursework directly from the American Red Cross. It must be fully completed before attending the in-person class.

Minimum 6 hours
Access link is emailed by the American Red Cross to the registered student's email address
Allow 1–2 business days to receive the link after registering

Course Requirements

How to earn your certification

All four requirements must be met to receive an American Red Cross Lifeguarding certification. There are no exceptions.

Attend all sessions in full
Demonstrate all required skills
Complete all rescue scenarios
Pass written exams at 80% or above

Refund & Cancellation Policy

Know before you register

We want to make sure you're fully informed — please review these policies before registering.

Partial Refund

Online course not completed before Day 1

The participant will not be permitted to attend. A partial refund will be issued.

Partial Refund

Physical prerequisite not passed on Day 1

If Test 1 or Test 2 is not passed at check-in, the participant will not continue. A partial refund will be issued.

✕ No Refund

Any portion of the in-person course is missed

Full attendance is required once the course begins. If any class is missed for any reason, the participant will be marked unsuccessful, will not receive certification, and no refund will be issued.

Transfer

Transferring to a different class date

Transfers are available if space is open in another class. A transfer fee will apply. Transfers are not available if the prerequisite test was attempted or if the online course was not completed — a new enrollment is required in those cases.

Locations

Where courses are held

Both sites run the same full certification course. Choose whichever is most convenient.

Irvine, CA

108 Lamplighter
Irvine, CA 92620

View Schedule & Register

Fountain Valley, CA

16566 Newhope St
Fountain Valley, CA 92708

View Schedule & Register

FAQ

Common questions

If Test 1 or Test 2 is not passed at check-in, the participant will not continue and a partial refund will be issued. The attempt will be submitted to the American Red Cross as unsuccessful — a transfer is not available in this case. A new enrollment will be required to register for a future course.

If the online portion is not completed before the in-person class, the participant will not be allowed to attend and a partial refund will be issued. The enrollment will be submitted to the American Red Cross as unsuccessful — a transfer is not available in this case. A new enrollment will be required to register for a future course.

Transfers are available if space is open in another class. A transfer fee will apply. Note that transfers are not available once a prerequisite test has been attempted or if the online course was not completed — a new enrollment is required in those cases.

Full attendance is required once the course begins. If any portion is missed for any reason, the participant will be marked unsuccessful and will not receive certification. No refund will be issued. Confirm full availability before registering.

No. Blueray provides all rescue equipment, CPR manikins, AED trainers, first aid supplies, and PPE. The Lifeguarding Manual is the only item to purchase independently.

Upon successful completion, participants receive two American Red Cross certifications: Adult, Child & Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer and Lifeguarding with Deep Water.

Valid for 2 years from completion. After expiration, a Lifeguarding Recertification course is required — shorter than the full course and doesn't repeat all prerequisites.

Digital certificates are available through the American Red Cross within 72 hours of successfully completing the course.

No off-site break. Participants stay on-site for the full duration. Bring a packed lunch, snacks, and plenty of water — the course is physically demanding.

A minimum of 5 enrolled participants is required. If the threshold isn't met, registered participants will be contacted and offered an alternate date, time, or location at no extra cost.