American Red Cross Lifeguard Training

Lifeguard Training and Recertification

The American Red Cross lifeguard course is designed to provide participants with the knowledge and skills to become a professional lifeguard through online training, classroom learning and in-water skills practice. The online portion of the course is 7 hours in length and MUST be completed prior to the first scheduled meeting date. Participants will log onto the American Red Cross website and follow a course outline which includes videos normally viewed during the classroom sessions. The class covers equipment based rescues, spinal injury management and post rescue care.

MAXIMUM 9 participants per class. Registration is on a “first come” basis; there will be no “holding” of spots. Participants must take the prerequisite swim test before they can register for the session. The online portion of the course MUST be completed by the first classroom session.

Prerequisite

Participants must be able to pass the prerequisite, consisting of the following:

  • Continuous 300-yard swim, demonstrating proficiency in front crawl and breaststroke. The 300-yard swim is not
    timed. Participants may use goggles for this exercise.
  • 2-minute treading water without support and without stopping. Participants can only use their legs.
  • Starting at the pool wall, swim about 20 yards, dive down and retrieve a 10-pound brick in 10-12 feet of water, surface, swim on their back with the brick on their chest to the starting point, place the brick on the deck, and hoist themselves out of the pool. This must be done WITHOUT the use of goggles and must be done in 1 minute and 40 seconds.

Upon successful completion of the course, participants will receive an American Red Cross certificate for lifeguard/first aid and CPR/AED which is valid for two years.

Very Important

  • Whether you have contacts or not, you must be able to open your eyes underwater without wearing goggles.
  • You must be able to go under water to a depth 12 1/2 feet.
  • Participants MUST set up a time and pass the swim test (FREE) prior to registering and paying for the class. There is no charge to take the swim test. DO NOT PAY for the class until the participant has passed the swim test.

No refunds will be given for failing the prerequisite swim test, nor for failing the course.
Contact Chuck Gallatin at cgallatin@muncieymca.org or 765.741.5541.

Ages

15+

Registration Deadline

Registration will begin 2 weeks before each class and end the Wednesday before each class.

Sesson Dates

Spring Break Session:
• March 25-29 – Registration opens March 11, 2024 – This class is for NEW Lifeguards ONLY, classes will be from 9 am-3:00 pm each day at Muncie Central High School

Weekend Sessions (including recerts):
• April 12-14 – Registration opens March 25, 2024
• April 26-28 – Registration opens April 8, 2024
• May 10-12 – Registration opens April 29, 2024

Daily Schedule

Important – This is for each session:

Recerts come only on Saturdays and Sundays

Friday : 5-10 pm  – New guards only

Saturday : 9am-4pm  –   New guards and recerts

Sunday : 9am-4 pm  –  New guards and recerts

Location

Muncie Central High School
Park behind the building by the tennis courts and enter through door 5.

Members

$210 full lifeguard course
$165 lifeguard recertification

Guests

$275 full lifeguard course
$215 lifeguard recertification

Contact:

Chuck Gallatin
cgallatin@muncieymca.org
765.741.5541