Date: Tue Jun 16, 4:00 PM EDT - Tue Jun 16, 8:00 PM EDT
Category:
- Life Skills
Level:
- Ambassadors,
- Seniors,
- Volunteers
Join us for an American Red Cross Lifeguard course to learn the skills to prevent, recognize, and respond to aquatic emergencies. This course requires blended learning online plus three days in-person. We are offering both a Lifeguarding Course (including Deep Water) and a Shallow Water Lifeguard Course (water up to 5 feet deep). Whether you are an older Girl Scout (15 years and older), troop leader, volunteer, community member, or parent/guardian, this training will help you develop the skills to be a Lifeguard in both personal and professional settings.
This will be a blended learning course. Participants will be assigned Red Cross pre-course work to complete online please plan for about 6-8 hours of course work prior to the first day of the course. Participants must be at least 15 years of age or older, attend all parts of the course, and demonstrate all skills.
If you pass the course, you will be certified either as a deep-water Lifeguard with Professional First Aid/CPR/AED for 2 years OR a shallow water Lifeguard with Professional First Aid/CPR/AED for 2 years depending on the course you complete and your swimming ability.
Course Schedule:
- On Your Own: 6+ hours of online course work (must be completed prior to June 16)
- Tuesday June 16: 4-8 p.m. LG Pre-course and start of training
- Sunday June 21: 9-7 p.m.
- Saturday June 27: 9-7 p.m.
Location:
Primarily at Camp Kettleford with additional locations around Bedford/Merrimack, NH for pool access when needed. - Carpooling between locations will be available.
The course will take place in both a pool and lake.
Meals:
Please plan to bring your own meals - lunch and dinner (as desired) as well as plenty of snacks. You will have access to a fridge, microwave, sink, and plenty of drinkable water. Additional snacks will also be provided- please let me know of any allergies or dietary needs you may have.
Preparing for a Lifeguarding Course:
- Get in water and start swimming! - it's important to rebuild your swimming endurance and muscle memory to be successfully in the pre-course testing
- Start by getting in the water for 1-2 days a week and increase to 3-4 weekly swim sessions before the course
- Practice swimming laps, touching the bottom of the pool, and treading water with and without your hands
- Focus on technique: keep your body horizontal in the water, use powerful and efficient strokes, practice your rhythmic breathing
- Take care of your body: make sure to stay hydrated before and after swims, eat well, and sleep at least 6-8 hours a night
Lifeguarding Pre-Course Testing and Requirements:
The following pre-course swimming requirements will be completed at the start of the course
Shallow Water Lifeguarding (for 5' or 6' water depths):
- Swim 100 yards continuously, with 2 minutes of treading water using only legs or floating halfway through swimming. Goggles are allowed. Swim strokes can include breaststroke or front crawl/freestyle.
- Starting in the water, swim 20 yards, submerge to a depth of 5-7 feet, retrieve a 10-pound object, return to the surface by walking or swimming 20 yards on your back to the starting point while holding the object with two hands at the surface before exiting the water without using a ladder or steps within 50 seconds- without googles.
Deep-Water Lifeguarding/Standard Certification:
- Swim 200 yards continuously, with 2 minutes of treading water using only legs after 150 yards of swimming (Waterfront 550-yard Swim with 2 minutes of treading water part way through the swim). Goggles are allowed. Swim strokes can include breaststroke or front crawl/freestyle.
- 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 on your back to the starting point while holding the object with both hands at the surface before exiting the water without using a ladder or steps within 1 minute, 40 seconds- without googles.
Facilitated by GSGWM team member and Red Cross Lifeguard Instructor. Designed for adult volunteers or individuals with an adult chaperone. This program requires at least 5 participants to run.
Within 24 hours of registration, we will e-mail registered participants the online training information directly from American Red Cross to complete. A detailed confirmation will be sent by e-mail within one week before the program date, including in-person program details.
Registrations that can be accommodated after the registration close date will be subject to a $10 late fee per person.
Questions? Please contact Customer Care at 1-888-474-9686 or customercare@girlscoutsgwm.org.
