SWIM SAFETY TRAINING

Certified Lifesaving Skills Courses

Recognized as American Red Cross “Top Training Provider” our programs are designed to keep you safe and teach you the skills to help others in a life-threatening emergency. Upon successful course completion, students will receive their American Red Cross certification through our sanctioned Training Center.

American Red Cross Lifeguard Training

The purpose of the American Red Cross Lifeguard Certification course is to teach participants the knowledge and skills to prevent, recognize and respond to aquatic emergencies. In addition, instructors teach how to care for breathing and cardiac emergencies, and injuries and sudden illnesses until emergency medical services (EMS) personnel take over.

Must be at least 15 years of age on or before the last day of the course.

Able to pass the following prerequisite swim skills on the first day of class:

  1. Swim 150 yards continuously demonstrating breath control and rhythmic breathing.
    • Candidates may swim using the front crawl, breast stroke or a combination of both.
    • Swimming on the back or side is NOT allowed. Goggles may be used.
  2. Tread water for 2 minutes using only legs.
  3. Swim another 50 yards for a total of 200 yards.
    • Starting in the water swim 20 yards. Face may be out of the water. Goggles are not allowed.
    • Surface dive feet or head first to a depth of 7 – 10 feet and retrieve a 10-pound object.
    • Return to the surface and swim 20 yards on the back to return to the starting point with both hands holding the object and keeping the face at or near the surface. Exit the water without using the ladder or steps.

7 hours online pre-course assignment, 19-21 Hours in-person (pool & classroom)

  • Thoreau Swim Members: $325
  • Community Members: $375

February 17-19, 2025
Mon. 2/17 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tue. 2/18 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wed. 2/19 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

February 20-22, 2025
Thu. 2/20 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Fri. 2/21 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Sat. 2/22 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM

March 7-9, 2025
Fri. 3/7 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Sat. 3/8 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Sun 3/9 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM

April 24-26, 2025
Thu. 4/24 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Fri. 4/25 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Sat. 4/26 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM

American Red Cross Lifeguard Re-certification

The purpose of the American Red Cross Lifeguard Recertification is to review the knowledge and skills to prevent, recognize and respond to aquatic emergencies for current Lifeguards. The class reviews how to care for breathing and cardiac emergencies, and injuries and sudden illnesses until emergency medical services (EMS) personnel take over.

For the review course, you must have current American Red Cross Lifeguard Certification or equivalent certification from an accredited organization to participate. If your certification goes more than 30 days expired, you are not eligible to participate in the review course.

Must be currently certified American Red Cross Lifeguard. Able to pass the following prerequisite swim skills on the first day of class:

  1. Swim 150 yards continuously demonstrating breath control and rhythmic breathing.
    • Candidates may swim using the front crawl, breast stroke or a combination of both.
    • Swimming on the back or side is NOT allowed. Goggles may be used.
  2. Tread water for 2 minutes using only legs.
  3. Swim another 50 yards for a total of 200 yards.
    • Starting in the water swim 20 yards. Face may be out of the water. Goggles are not allowed.
    • Surface dive feet or head first to a depth of 7 – 10 feet and retrieve a 10-pound object.
    • Return to the surface and swim 20 yards on the back to return to the starting point with both hands holding the object and keeping the face at or near the surface. Exit the water without using the ladder or steps.
  • Thoreau Swim Members: $149
  • Community Members: $199

February 9, 2025
9:00 AM – 7:00 PM

March 16, 2025
9:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Water Safety Instructor

During our Water Safety Instructor certification course, you’ll learn how to help individuals enjoy their time in the water safely – and in a wide range of ways.

Throughout the course, we will focus on learning a number of skills that can help you succeed as an aquatics instructor, including:

  • Water safety at public pools, homes, natural bodies of water, including the Circle of Drowning Prevention and Chain of Drowning Survival.
  • Hydrodynamics, including why some things float, resistance to movement and creating movement in water, swimming efficiency, and laws of levers.
  • Basic safety, survival, and swimming skills to help children gain water competency.
  • Helping people with disabilities and other health conditions enjoy the water safely

Water Safety Instructors will also learn how to teach:

  • Higher-level swim skills that help prepare people of all ages for any aquatic activity.
  • Stroke mechanics for all competitive strokes as well as starts, turns, and headfirst entries.
  • Water safety certification courses, including Safety Training for Swim Coaches and Basic Water Rescue.
  • Fundamentals of diving from a diving board.
  • Aquatic fitness and training for people of any age.

To enroll, instructor candidates must be at least 16 years of age on or before the last day of the instructor course, and successfully complete the pre-course session which includes a demonstration of swimming skill at Learn-to-Swim Level 4.

7 hours online pre-course assignment, 24 Hours in-person (pool & classroom) hours

  • Thoreau Swim Members: $349
  • Community Members: $399

February 19-21, 2025

2/19 Wed. 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

2/20 Thu. 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

2/21 Fri. 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

CPR / AED

The primary purpose of the American Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED program is to help participants recognize and respond appropriately to cardiac, breathing, and first aid emergencies. This program teaches participants the knowledge and skills needed to give immediate care to an injured or ill person and to decide whether advanced medical care is needed.

Topics include:

  • Primary assessment
  • Ventilations (including the use of CPR breathing barriers)
  • Choking (including conscious and unconscious care)
  • CPR (including one and two rescuer response)
  • AED
Approximately 2 hours
  • Thoreau Swim Members: $69
  • Community Members: $89