Lifeguard Training FAQsAt De Anza College, lifeguard training costs less than any other local program and offers more certifications.
PE 28A includes lifeguard training, waterfront lifeguard training AND/or new programs called Shallow Water Attendant and Basic Water Rescue. At De Anza we offer certification in any or all of these, to be able to teach rescue skills to people with any level of swimming skill, as well as to certify lifeguards.
We also offer certification in First Aid; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation for the Professional Rescuer; Automated External Defibrillation; Administering Emergency Oxygen; Epinephrine Auto Injector Administration and Bloodborne Pathogens: Preventing Disease Transmission.
Descriptions/explanations of these certifications are at: Lifeguard certifications offered at De Anza College
Graduates of the program who are now head lifeguards, aquatic directors or even facility managers come back to help teach the class and recruit employees. Read a note from one of them: Lifeguards trained at De Anza College get jobs
    
To become a lifeguard, do I have to have a perfect freestyle?
No. The lifeguard instructor's manual says: "The individual should not be judged on stroke mechanics, but rather on his or her overall demonstration of swimming strenght, endurance and comfort in the water."
For each of the prerequisite swim tests you are required to use "rhythmic breathing and a stabilizing, propellant kick." Instructor's material says:
"Rhythmic breathing is a breathing pattern in which a
swimmer breathes in and out while performing a stroke. The swimmer can breathe to the side or by lifting his or
her head forward ... a stabilizing, propellant kick keeps a swimmer in a horizontal position and effectively
propels him or her forward in the water. If the swimmer does not have an effective kick, he or she will have to expend more energy with the arm stroke to move forward
and stay near the surface of the water."
Do I have to be a fast swimmer?
People in my swimming classes tried the tests and most were within the required times, even some of the students in beginning swimming.
There are two timed swim tests in the 2007 program, one for potential lifeguards/waterfront lifeguards and a different one for shallow water attendants.
At De Anza College the lifeguard class is not on a tight schedule like many places that offer a two or three week certification class, so we have the time to:
Before we try the prerequisite swim test(s) we will take time to look at people's swim strokes and make corrections. I expect that most of my students will not be swim team members and will not have been swimming a lot recently. We will start the quarter with first aid, CPR and Basic Water Rescue skills to give people plenty of time to practice for the prerequisite swim tests before we officially take them.
Many people find their initial attempt at the test that involves getting the weight from the bottom is awkward, so we will practice it in advance of the official test.
We can teach you how to do a faster, more effective surface dive before you take the test.
There are a couple of easy ways to climb out of a pool and many hard ways. We will teach you the easy ways.
People who are taking this class at De Anza to get a lifeguard certification will have time to practice the prerequisite test as we will mostly concentrate on first aid and CPR at the start of the quarter. The swim test will not be officially given until at least two weeks into the quarter.
 
Some people might ask: What if I have a bad knee and can't do breaststroke? Here is the answer from Red Cross instructor material:
"The Americans with Disabilities Act created an understanding that
people with disabilities and other conditions can perform aquatic rescue, first
aid, CPR and AED skills.
The skills needed to prevent injury or to save a life may need modification, but
the result is the same...
For example, a person with significantly reduced flexibility in
one leg may not be able to perform a conventional front crawl" (freestyle) "or breaststroke
approach. However, he or she may be able to modify the kick to reach a victim
in distress. If the objective is for the lifeguard to reach a victim, the person
with significantly reduced flexibility may be able to satisfy that objective even
though he or she has not performed a conventional approach stroke." You will still be required to swim the entire distance, and to finish any timed tests within the time alloted.
   
If I have the time, what can I do to get ready for class?
Most people do nothing, but you could work on laps of sidestroke, freestyle with your head up and aim towards being able to tread water with no hands. Try some push-ups on the pool gutters or deck for strength climbing out of the pool.
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Details about the prerequisite swim tests:
There are no prerequisite swim tests for basic water rescue.
Shallow water attendant prerequisite swim tests are:
1. Swim 50 yards continuously, using these strokes in the following order:
25 yards of front crawl using rhythmic breathing and a stabilizing, propellant kick
25 yards of breaststroke using a pull, breathe, kick and glide sequence
(There is no time limit for this first test. Red Cross rules say you can wear goggles for this part of the test.) The De Anza Olympic-sized pool is 25 yards wide.
2. Timed Event - Starting in the water, swim 20 yards using front crawl or breaststroke, submerge to depth of 4 feet, retrieve a 10-pound object, return to the surface, walk 20 yards back to the starting point with the object and exit the water without using a ladder or steps within 50 seconds.
When you submerge to get the weight some people need only bend over to be able to reach it, some will need to do a surface dive. When we tried this test in swim classes we found that long strides on the walk back was faster for some people than quick bouncing steps. Holding the weight up out of the water, and keeping your arms/elbows out of the water creates less drag and was faster for most people. Since we are not a two week certification class you will have time to try it, (more than once if you need to), before the official test. Red Cross rules do not allow goggles for this part of the test.
Lifeguard prerequisite swim tests are
1. Swim 300 yards continuously, using these strokes in the following order:
100 yards of front crawl (freestyle) using rhythmic breathing and a stabilizing, propellant kick
100 yards of breaststroke using a pull, breathe, kick and glide sequence
100 yards of front crawl or breaststroke or a combination of both
(There is no time limit for this first test. Goggles are allowed.)
2. Timed Event - Starting in the water, swim 20 yards using front crawl or breaststroke, surface dive 7–10 feet, retrieve a 10-pound object, return to the surface, swim 20 yards back to the starting point with the object, place it on the deck and exit the water without using a ladder or steps within 1 minute, 40 seconds.
For the surface dive, the Red Cross allows either a feetfirst or head first surface dive. The Red Cross requires that you keep both hands on the weight, and keep the weight at the surface as you swim to the side and have your face (not your whole head) out of the water. You can swim on your back using any propellant kick, such as an elementary backstroke kick, sidestroke or a rotary kick (like the eggbeater water polo players use). The time (under one minute, forty seconds) will be complete when you are out of the pool standing on the side. Red Cross rules do not allow goggles for this part of the test.
The video used to train lifeguard instructors says this about the continuous swim:
"It is not acceptable for anyone to hang on to the lane lines for support or to catch their breath at the turns before continuing."
The video goes on to the timed test, showing a lifeguard candidate swimming out, surface diving for the weight and returning to the surface. He holds the weight in one hand and pulls with the other hand/arm as he goes from the bottom of the pool to the surface.
The video then says: "As they (the lifeguard candidates) swim back to the starting point they need to hold the object" (ten pound weight) "at the surface of the water." (Again, with both hands on the object the whole way to the side.)
The last person to finish the whole prerequisite test, (by far the slowest swimmer in the class) fall quarter 2004 was a 115 pound woman. She ended up with the highest 'A' in the class, earned all the certifications and went on to become a Red Cross Lifeguard Instructor.
Advice for passing the lifeguard swim test:
Take your time on the 300 yard swim without a time limit. Don't tire yourself out trying to sprint on the first test, and then be too tired for the second one. Red Cross rules say you can wear goggles for the prerequisite swim, but not during the brick (ten pound weight)retrieval.
On the surface dive for the weight at 7 feet, avoid the temptation to swim down just far enough to grab it. It's easier and faster to swim to the bottom, grab the weight with both hands, put your feet on
the bottom, and push hard with your legs. If you have enough air, push up to the surface at an angle in the direction you will be returning with the weight. If you feel out of breath, push up to the surface straight. You must keep both hands on the weight for the swim back to the side until you place the weight on the deck.
Before lifeguard candidates take the swim and get the weight test, they should 'clear' their ears (equalize the pressure) before they feel the pressure change. I will describe clearing your ears the first day. Please talk to me personally if you don't understand how to do it, or if it doesn't seem to work when you try it in the water.
The best way to return with the weight is to swim on your back using a whip kick or eggbeater. A flutter kick is probably too slow for most people, but some of my students have been successful with it. A sidestroke scissors kick can also work.
You don't want to swim under a lane line by mistake as it will slow you down and can surprise you and cause you to drop the weight, so look back and forth at the lane lines a little as you go.
Don't hyperventilate (multiple, rapid, deep breaths) before you swim under water. You can't store extra oxygen that way, and you can possibly pass out under water.
  
Waterfront lifeguard (lake, river and non-surf beach lifeguard) prerequisite swim tests are:
1) Swim 550 yards (about 500 meters) continuously, using these strokes in the following order:
200 yards of front crawl (freestyle) using rhythmic breathing and a stabilizing, propellant kick
200 yards of breaststroke using a pull, breathe, kick and glide sequence
150 yards of front crawl or breaststroke or a combination of both
(There is no time limit for this test and you can wear goggles.)
2) The same swim and get the weight test as for pool lifeguards described above,
with the same 1 minute forty second time limit.
3) Swim 5 yards, submerge and retrieve three dive rings
placed 5 yards apart in 4 to 7 feet of water,
resurface and swim 5 yards to the side of the pool. (Calm yourself,
these rings will not be ten pound weights,
just dive rings that are heavy enough to sink to the bottom,
like the small plastic covered rings kids play with.)
You must swim underwater the ten yards along the bottom and get all three rings on one breath. (There is no time limit for this test. Red Cross rules say you can't wear goggles for this part.)
   
The Red Cross used to have a number of other speed/endurance tests, but they were dropped. We still try to pass all the old time tests because employers may ask you to do them and we want you to have the confidence that comes from knowing you can pass most tests given. Most people can't do them at the beginning of class, but with work most can by the end of the quarter. Either way, the old tests don't count for your grade or certification.
Doesn't a lifeguard need a lot of physical strength?
Isn't it difficult to rescue a heavy person who is sinking to the bottom of a pool?
 No. Go to: How to rescue a submerged victim
Do lifeguards have to know how to dive?
No. Most of the time a lifeguard will enter the water in other than a dive. A racing dive like they use on a swim team isn't very useful for a lifeguard, since we need to be able to see the victim as we enter and approach them. Sometimes we need to enter extra carefully (in case of a spinal injury victim, for example). You will be taught all the methods of entry.
What do students think about the De Anza lifeguard class?
" I really enjoyed all the extra info we were given. There was never a dull moment in this class. Mary is the most thorough and encouraging instructor I have ever had."
"I liked the depth of teaching. I feel I learned the skills to the fullest. The knowledge gained from this class is useful anywhere."
Read more at: P.E. 28A student evaluation comments
  
 
 
Why take a lifeguard training class?
Some people take a lifeguarding class for fun, exercise, or just for skills they can use the rest of their lives living and playing around water.
 The odds are if you want a lifeguard job, you'll get one if you are successful in this class. We keep track of job offerings around the area. Many of the graduates are now pool managers or head guards and they come back to the class to help teach and to recruit employees from the class. Lifeguards trained at De Anza College get jobs
You can earn six to ten certifications (see below), more than any other program in the area.
PE 28 A completely fulfills the requirement for area E for your A.A. degree and transfers to U.C. and CSU.
Many students go on to become CPR instructors, especially those planning careers which will require regular certification in CPR. Some become lifeguard instructors. Some take an interest in learning more lifesaving skills and become EMTs, or work towards joining fire or police forces. They tell me the extra time we take on first aid and CPR skills made their advanced classes easier.
This class is a great way to beef up a resume for a physical therapy assistant or personal fitness trainer, because lots of fitness centers have pool activities and need employees with varied skills. If you are the lifeguard or shallow water attendant, the facility doesn't need to hire one to work when you are doing physical therapy or aqua-exercise classes in the pool.
We've had Girl Scout Leaders take the class so that they won't have any more trouble finding lifeguards for trips and events. (Yes, some are over 30 years old, and they became lifeguards. We've had graduates in their forties, fifties and sixties as well.)
What are the seven or eight or ... Red Cross certifications I can earn?
 Lifeguard Training and/or Shallow Water Attendant and/or Basic Water Rescue; First Aid; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation for the Professional Rescuer; Automated External Defibrillation; Waterfront Lifeguard; Administering Emergency Oxygen; Epinephrine Auto Injector Administration and Bloodborne Pathogens: Preventing Disease Transmission. (Relax, we've got eleven weeks.)
Descriptions/explanations of the certifications are at: Lifeguard certifications offered at De Anza College
First Aid for Public Safety Personnel (Title 22) and Lifeguard Management are often offered outside of class time.
 
How much does lifeguard training cost?
As of 2008, fees for the four unit class are $13 per unit ($52). Supplies are: books (American Red Cross (ARC) Lifeguarding $35, (Bloodborne Pathogens certification used to require another book, but now all the reading is in the lifeguard text), and a pocket mask $10.
Buy the book shown above. DO NOT buy the older versions, Lifeguard Training or Lifeguarding Today.
An $8 fee is charged by the Red Cross for your card(s). That's $8 for one or more certifications, not $8 each.
Basic college fees are $28.50 to $34.50,
no matter how many classes you take and an
(optional) parking permit is auto $26.65, less for motorcycles.
Lifeguard training at De Anza is competitively priced as compared to other local programs which offer only four basic certifications instead of the seven (or even more) we offer at De Anza. For example: (2006) Menlo Park $267 to $335 (resident/non-resident), San Jose $170, Cupertino $165 to $198, Sunnyvale $202 to 231, a local private club $199, (2005) Mountain View $155 to $165, Palo Alto $175 to $200, Santa Clara $179 to $209.
More students qualify for financial aid than use it or even know they qualify. There are enrollment fee waivers you can apply for online. For all the details go to:
http://www.deanza.fhda.edu/financialaid/index.html
You don’t have to pay for all your classes/fees at once. De Anza has an installment payment plan that allows you to defer most of your payments. Go to: http://www.deanza.fhda.edu/registration/cashier/deferpay.html
If I don't want, or don't really have the time for a lifeguard job, can I still get experience?
Yes. Many graduates get their first experience guarding by helping with a De Anza swim class and De Anza lifeguarding graduates regularly volunteer. For example, guarding the Silicon Valley Kids Triathlon, 2004...check out the picture of the 3-year-old triathletes. We've done Escape from Alcatraz 'Sharkfest' swim volunteering for years.
 
What are the Red Cross certification written tests like?
The Red Cross certification tests are multiple-choice. Lifeguard tests usually have three or four sections. You must pass each section with 80%. (But you can have two tries if you need them.)
We spend a lot of time in class making sure that students understand the vocabulary needed to pass the tests.
Go to How to pass a Red Cross written test for more info.
When is lifeguard training offered?
We meet three mornings a week during spring quarter. For spring 2008 we will meet (starting the first day of Spring Quarter, Monday, April 7)
10:30AM-12:15 Monday/Wednesday and 9:30AM-12:20 Friday
The basic water rescue, and/or shallow water attendant and/or lifeguard certification (with CPR, AED and first aid) will probably be earned by early June, then we'll work on waterfront guard, bloodborne pathogens and ...
We meet the first day in the pool bleachers by the diving well.
How do I enroll at De Anza?
If you haven't ever been a De Anza student, or were here before, but not the most recent quarter, you must first apply to the college. If you have not been accepted as a De Anza student, you can't just show up the first day of class and be automatically added, so do the paperwork online beforehand when you won't have to stand in a line.
Registration steps are at: http://www.deanza.fhda.edu/admissions/
Read about Red Cross trained lifeguards who have saved people away from work:
Beyond the Swimming Pool: High School Student Prepared to Help Thanks to Red Cross Training
http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/notes/isely.html
Surfer Dude Rescues Two Swimmers
http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/notes/larsen.html
Local Hero Rescues Ten-Year-Olds from Swift Storm Drain Waters
http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/notes/thompson.html
Red Cross Instructor Saves Swimmer from Drowning at a condo
"The paramedics and the doctors at Desert Hospital agreed that if Cathy had not reacted quickly and efficiently my husband would not be alive…"
http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/notes/andrew.html
Can I get the Red Cross swim teacher certification during the same quarter as the lifeguard training class?
Each spring quarter we also offer the Red Cross swim teacher certification, and lots of students take both. For info go to:
Water Safety Instructor
   
How to get a locker, how to find the pools, sunscreen, P/NP grading, waitlists and more
are covered at
Swim classes FAQs
Use this link: When will the prerequisite swim tests for lifeguard training be given? to find the answer to the question.
See also:
Massage Therapists: enhance your resume
Personal Fitness Trainers: enhance your resume
Administration of Justice Majors: enhance your resume
Many of the overachievers in this class have gone on to become Red Cross instructors. Enrollment in the CPR/AED FPR instructor classes I occasionally teach is by invitation only. Read some details at: CPR instructor.
If this page did not answer all of your questions, when I am in town I usually check my email at least twice a day.
donahuemary@fhda.edu
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