New American Red Cross Lifeguarding Program Available Now

The American Red Cross recently released its new Lifeguarding program. Along with updating to the latest science in first aid, CPR and emergency cardiovascular care, it also includes the latest in aquatic rescue skills and safety protocols, making it the most up-to-date training program currently on the market.

"We reviewed copious amounts of research, interviewed and involved many aquatic experts and field tested new skills to make this the best Lifeguarding program out there," said Mike Espino, manager of aquatics technical development at the American Red Cross national headquarters.

One of the most significant changes is that the program includes four stand-alone lifeguarding courses to make it easier for an aquatic facility to complete training at their own location, regardless of the facility's features or water depths. Plus, all courses include skills and video footage specific to the type of the facility to help participants concentrate on the rescue situations that are most likely to occur while on the job.

The newly revised program includes stand-alone courses in: • Lifeguarding (31 hours, 15 minutes) Ideal for facilities with traditional pools • Waterfront Lifeguarding (37 hours) Ideal for non-surf, open water environments, such as lakes and rivers, as well as for traditional pools • Waterpark Lifeguarding (33 hours, 15 minutes) Ideal for waterpark environments, multi-attraction facilities and traditional pools • Shallow Water Attendant (30 hours, 30 minutes) Ideal for facilities with shallow water attractions up to 4 feet deep, such as catch basins of slides, winding rivers and kiddie pools

"The Red Cross team spent a lot of time listening to what our customers want and need," Espino said. "They told us they wanted training that meets their facility's unique needs, but that also provides all lifeguards with a set of standard skills to allow for flexibility in staffing assignments."

Espino explained that there are no longer separate modules for Waterfront Lifeguarding and Waterpark Lifeguarding; because both course options now include traditional pool skills, Waterfront- and Waterpark-trained lifeguards who want to work at a traditional pool may do so without additional course certification. Bridging options are also available, including a bridge course for individuals trained in the Shallow Water Attendant course who want to become certified as a traditional lifeguard.

To make the program easier to use and more affordable, the newly revised Lifeguarding manual now includes all of the content needed to support the four stand-alone Lifeguarding courses, plus optional training in bloodborne pathogens, administering emergency oxygen and more.

Lifeguarding Manual Stock No. 655731 Retail Price: $34.99

Build a Complete Lifeguarding Program

The Red Cross has long advocated that aquatic facilities build a truly comprehensive lifeguarding program that goes beyond basic training to include management training, ongoing in-service training and independent examination of facility operations, including lifeguarding staff knowledge and skills. To make this task easier, the Red Cross has also recently revised courses and services that complement the basic lifeguard training, which facilities can combine and customize to help improve their lifeguarding operation and facility safety.

These complementary programs include:

• GuardStart: Lifeguarding Tomorrow
• Lifeguard Management
• Aquatic Examiner Service

GuardStart: Lifeguarding Tomorrow

GuardStart: Lifeguarding Tomorrow is designed to prepare youth ages 11-14 for a future job as a lifeguard. The program can help keep youth involved in aquatics between Learn-to-Swim and Lifeguarding, and can help aquatic facilities attract and recruit potential lifeguard applicants.

GuardStart is designed to complement the revised Lifeguarding program and can be taught by anyone as no instructor training is needed. GuardStart includes new lessons on preparing for lifeguard training prerequisites, using AEDs (orientation only) and conducting secondary assessments. The updated video includes new rescue, first aid and CPR skills; as well as new decision-making scenarios. Other newly revised products include a more age-appropriate participant workbook and a leader's guide on CD-ROM with lesson plans and customizable teaching tools.

"The aquatic industry is being challenged by lifeguard shortages," Espino said. "GuardStart can act as a feeder program to provide a long-term solution by training the next generation of lifeguard applicants now."

	GuardStart: Lifeguarding Tomorrow Workbook Stock No. 655714 Retail Price: $8.99
	GuardStart: Lifeguarding Tomorrow Leader's CD-ROM Stock No. 655715 Retail Price: $22.00

Lifeguard Management

The American Red Cross Lifeguard Management course provides lifeguard supervisors and facility managers with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively manage lifeguards and create an environment that keeps patrons, lifeguards and the aquatic facility safe. This one-day course also provides managers with the training and resources to conduct preseason training and ongoing in-service training for lifeguards, which are critical for lifeguard skill retention and facility safety. What's more, this course is easy to implement because any current Red Cross-certified Lifeguarding instructor can conduct this training at any aquatic facility.

The new Lifeguard Management course has an increased emphasis on the role of the facility and covers the responsibilities of a lifeguard supervisor, including selection and training of lifeguards, team building principles, injury prevention, risk management and emergency response planning. Plus, the updated manual comes with a CD-ROM that is packed with tools and resources, including sample records and reports, and nearly 100 in-service trainings with new topics such as assertiveness, communication, emergency scenarios, fitness, sexual harassment and more.

Lifeguard Management Manual with CD-ROM Stock No. 654148 Retail Price: $26.99

"Research conducted by New York State has shown that more than half of the drownings they documented had contributing factors related to supervision," said Espino.1 "The Lifeguard Management course is a convenient way to improve the knowledge and skills of lifeguard managers and, in turn, improve the safety of a facility."

Aquatic Examiner Service

The Aquatic Examiner Service is based on the training and expertise provided to lifeguards through Red Cross courses and is designed to be integrated into current aquatic facility management practices. The service is designed to help facilities develop practices and procedures to achieve a highly professional lifeguard operation.

Facilities can choose any or all of the three components that make up the Aquatic Examiner Service:

"We wanted to develop a safety evaluation service that gave customers complete flexibility to choose the features that they needed, while working them into their existing operational structure," Espino said. "The Red Cross Aquatic Examiner Service is a great choice for facilities large and small because of its flexible structure."

¹Refers to research conducted by Douglas C. Sackett, Assistant Director, New York Department of Health, Bureau of Community Environmental Health and Food Protection, 2004

Michael Espino is the manager of aquatics technical development at the American Red Cross National Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He has more than 25 years of aquatics experience and has been employed as a lifeguard, water safety instructor, head swim coach and municipal aquatics director in California and Florida.

For more information, contact your local American Red Cross chapter.
To order program materials, contact your local chapter, call (800) 667-2968
or visit www.shopstaywell.com.

Back to top | Return to Front Page