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Drowning Prevention - Lifeguard Training

TEACHING SKILLS THAT SAVE LIVES

The YMCA was the first organization to establish certification programs for lifesaving, swimming and aquatic instruction. Lifeguards are essential to the safety of our aquatic facilities, but we also believe training them is a critical part of social responsibility. Trained and certified lifeguards allow us to offer life-changing programs in the areas of youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. When we do this effectively, we deliver on our cause as a nonprofit: strengthening community.

 

Training and Certification to Ensure Safety

Our YMCA Lifeguard Training is a comprehensive course for ages 16 and up focusing on water rescue, safety and drowning prevention. The course prepares lifeguards to anticipate and prevent dangers. Upon successful completion, participants are qualified to work at an aquatics facility as a certified lifeguard. Certification includes 27.5 hours of training in the pool or classroom, plus additional online learning.

 

Join the Mission

Having enough lifeguards on duty allows us to effectively provide our members, participants and community a safer aquatic environment. There are three ways you can help us ensure our aquatics facilities are safe and staffed with qualified lifeguards.

Drowning Prevention
For Social Responsibility

Lifeguard Training

With the current lifeguard shortage across the nation, the Y is committed to training lifeguards with the skills to save lives. Our comprehensive course, for ages 16 and up, focuses on water rescue, safety and prepares lifeguards to anticipate and prevent danger in and around water. Certification includes 27.5 hours of training in the pool or classroom, plus additional online learning.

Successful completion of our Lifeguard Training qualifies participants to work at our aquatics facilities or pools in the community as a certified lifeguard.

Safety Around Water

This free water safety outreach program powered by the Y engages low-income youth living in local apartment communities where pools are often without lifeguards. Certified YMCA swim instructors and lifeguards educate young residents about water safety issues through instruction and building awareness.

Through our Safety Around Water program and traditional swim lessons, we help ensure all kids have access to learn essential water safety skills and gain confidence in and around water. These drowning prevention programs open up a world of possibilities for children to safely enjoy and explore their curiosity for water.

Swim Lessons

Swimming is a life skill as well as great exercise and a challenging sport. Our Ys offer swim lessons for all ages, family swim, competitive swimming and diving teams, and many kinds of adaptive swim programs for kids with special needs. Our mission is to ensure we can all safely enjoy the pleasures of an aquatic environment.

Throughout all stages of instruction, our swim lessons programs teach students how to be safer and more comfortable in the water.