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Lifeguard Training
Serving the Community and Saving Lives
Whether you’re looking for a great summer job or considering a rewarding career as a professional lifeguard, the YMCA Lifeguard Training Program by the American Red Cross is the perfect place to start.
Becoming a lifeguard isn’t just about learning practical skills like CPR and in-water rescue—it’s about stepping up to serve your community in a truly meaningful way. Lifeguards stand as protectors in our public swimming spaces, helping prevent tragedies and saving lives. With drowning remaining one of the leading causes of accidental deaths in the country, your role as a lifeguard carries real, life-changing impact—especially now, as communities everywhere feel the effects of an ongoing lifeguard shortage.
And the benefits of the job extend beyond the pool deck. Lifeguards gain highly transferable life skills like leadership, quick decision-making, clear communication, and effective teamwork, which build confidence and prepare you for challenges both on and off the job. Our comprehensive course teaches you how to anticipate and prevent emergencies, respond swiftly when needed, and work seamlessly with fellow lifeguards to keep everyone safe.
In the process, you don’t just train to save lives—you grow as a leader, a teammate, and a trusted guardian of your community.
The Ridgewood YMCA has been recognized by the American Red Cross for Excellence in Lifeguard Training, and our guards have been recipients of the prestigious Lifesaving Award for Professional Responders.
AMERICAN RED CROSS LIFEGUARD TRAINING - BLENDED LEARNING
The purpose of the American Red Cross Lifeguarding course is to provide entry-level lifeguard 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 until emergency medical services (EMS) personnel take over. This class is taught by a certified instructor.
Participants must pass the prerequisite swim test to sign up for this course.
Participants MUST be at least 15 years old by the final day of the in-person class.
To participate in the course, you must be able to pass the Pre-requisite Skills Evaluation by doing the following:
1. Complete the Swim-Tread-Swim assessment sequence. This sequence is continuous, and no stopping will be allowed.
- Swim begins in the water at the deep-end, and starting with a push from the wall, candidates begin a 150 yard swim (6 lengths in our pools).
- After completing the initial 150 yard swim, candidates will begin a two (2) minute tread at the surface of the water. The candidates hands should be held in their armpits, and the tread uses only the legs to keep oneself at the surface.
- After completing the tread portion, candidates must complete a final 50 yard swim (2 lengths in our pools) to complete the ability test sequence.
Stopping at any point, using one’s hands to assist in the tread, being unable to keep mouth and nose out of the water during the tread, and/or walking on the bottom of the pool are all immediate disqualifiers for that attempt at the sequence.
When swimming, candidates must be continuously demonstrating breath control and rhythmic breathing. You may swim using the front crawl, breaststroke or a combination of both, but swimming on the back or side is not allowed.
Swim goggles may be used. This is the only point where swim goggles are allowed.
2. Complete a timed event within 1 minute, 40 seconds.
- Starting in the water, swim 20 yards. Your face may be in or out of the water. Swim goggles are not allowed.
- Spot the object on the bottom of the pool, and surface dive, to a depth of 7 to 10 feet to retrieve a 10-pound object. The dive may be feet-first or head-first. If the object is missed on the first dive, more attempts at the dive can be made until the object is retrieved or attempt time exceeds 1 minute 40 seconds.
- Return to the surface and swim 20 yards on your back to return to the starting point with both hands holding the object at all times. Candidates should be keeping their face at or near the surface so they are able to get a breath. Candidates should not swim the return distance under water.
- Place the weighted object on the deck outside of the pool and exit the water at the side of the pool without using a ladder or stairs.
- The attempt time must be under 1 minute 40 seconds after the object and candidate are out of the water.
Only two attempts at each of the two skills assessments are allowed at each Prerequisites Session. This is to keep the session within the scheduled time. Candidates may stop their attempt of either assessment at any point at the cost of that attempt on that assessment that day, and candidates may leave before attempting and/or completing both skills assessments, but failure to complete both skills assessments will result in being unable to participate in the Lifeguard Training Course.
Looking for a place to take a crew test?
The Ridgewood Y offer periodic testing based on demand. Click below to see current test dates:
Questions? Contact Meaghan Donnelly at 201.444.5600 x 319 or [email protected] for more information.