Question for certified lifeguards?

Question

what did you have to do during the test? i've heard you have to swim 1 mile and tread water for two minutes holding 10 pound weights above your head... i am thinking of becoming a lifeguard this summer, and i was just wondering what i was in for?

what did you have to do?

Answer 1

it really depends which oner you take up. I done the NaRS (National Rescue Standard). There were 2 types of life guard course - assistant which i done - and poolside teacher. Due to my age i cud only do assistant. there are other courses like helping people breate on oxygen life support.

In my one - it was very simple physical work - u just to 2 swim 1 lap, pick a heavy manikin from the bottom - swim with it - and pass a tough exam. the exam was the hardest - written and u need to do CPR on dummy.

Answer 2

You have to swim a 500, 20 laps of a normal sized pool- usually 3/4 freestyle/front crawl the other 1/4 breast stroke. When I did the test I had to tread water for 2 min, without the brick and then dive 10+ feet down to pick up the 10 pound weighted brick. How hard it is usually depends on who your instructor is though because some like to make it difficult. All that happens on the first day of the class, if you aren't able to do it, you can't even take the actual class. At the end you have to do some scenarios of saving people, your classmates, from the pool and take a multiple choice test.

All in all not too bad, sounds worse than it really is.

Answer 3

I had to do 600 metres in 18 minutes, and there were a bunch of skills - i.e. swim 20m, dive down 3m, retrieve 20 pounds of brick, carry it 5m.

Don't worry, it's all quite easy, most people pass.

Answer 4

depends on what company your getting certified. I'm Red Cross Cert. I had to swim 300 yards, plus swim 50 and get a 10 lbs brick under 2 minutes. By the time your done with the course you've swam about 2 miles at least for me. The course isn't hard, its different