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Lifeguard Certification Courses

Obtaining and maintaining an American Red Cross Lifeguard certification is an essential piece of building a successful career as a lifeguard year-round. Whether you are on staff with Sears Pool or work with other agencies in the Atlanta area, the ARC Lifeguard certification is an industry-standard that will allow you to maximize your ability to secure a lifeguard position wherever you go.

SPMC is an authorized provider of the American Red Cross Lifeguard certification programs. All courses are taught by licensed American Red Cross instructors. Unlike other options available in the Atlanta area that provide a one-year certification, our courses provide certification that is valid for two years. Applicants MUST BE at least 15 years of age. All SPMC lifeguards must have valid certifications on file with the office in order to work.

Lifeguard Certification

LGT | CPRO | AED Certification Class

The Lifeguard Certification course includes Lifeguard Training, CPRO, AED, and First Aid. Certifications are valid for two years. Our training classes are set up as a Blended Learning model, requiring online material to be completed before and outside of the in-person class time. The online portion must be completed prior to the first day of an in-person class. Students will complete their training with two full days at the swimming pool. On the first day, prerequisites must be completed in order to continue the course.

The cost for the class is $295. SPMC employees are eligible for a discount on the course fee. Call our office Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm at 770-993-7492 for more information.

In the event of an unexpected conflict, illness, or injury the student will be able to participate in a future class within 30 days for no additional charge. If the participant is not able to attend a class within 30 days an additional fee of $50 will be required for the online portion through the Red Cross. Cancellations made from the time of payment to 7 days prior to the class date will receive a refund of the class course less $50 for the online portion with the Red Cross. If a cancellation occurs within 7 days of the class start date, SPMC will retain an additional $30 cancellation fee. If a student is unable to pass the LGT class prerequisites, they will be refunded $175, based on full payment and will be reduced when the employee rate is paid. Once a student passes the prerequisites and is officially entered into the class, no refund will be issued. Please read the information below regarding successful class completion. Once a student passes the prerequisites and is officially entered into the class, no refund will be issued. Please read the information below regarding successful class completion.

Class times are listed for each class below. You will be able to leave after you have finished your final test.

Upcoming Lifeguard Certification Classes

2025 Dates

*January 18 & 20*

Saturday 8:00 am - 7:00 pm @ Westminster

Monday 8:00 am - 7:00 pm @ Westminster

 

February 15 & 17

Saturday 8:00 am - 7:00 pm @ Westminster

Monday 8:00 am - 7:00 pm @ Westminster

 

February 21 & 22

Friday 8:00 am - 7:00 pm @ Westminster

Saturday 8:00 am - 7:00 pm @ Westminster

* The asterisk denotes that the class is full or has passed *

To be notified of future class dates or class openings, click here

Lifeguard Recertification

LGT | CPRO | AED Recertification Class

The re-certification training classes are a condensed version of the full course and meet all of the requirements to obtain a two (2) year certification. This class is for lifeguards who already have their LGT certification but need to get re-certified. The class is a one-day, onsite class but does include an online course that will take approximately 7-10 hours to complete. The online portion MUST be completed prior to the onsite training.

The cost of the course is $150. SPMC employees are eligible for a discount on the course fee. Call our office Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm at 770-993-7492 for more information.

In the event of an unexpected conflict, illness, or injury the student will be able to participate in a future class within 30 days for no additional charge. If the participant is not able to attend a class within 30 days an additional fee of $50 will be required for the online portion through the Red Cross. Cancellations made from the time of payment to 7 days prior to the class date will receive a refund of the class course less $50 for the online portion with the Red Cross. If a cancellation occurs within 7 days of the class start date, SPMC will retain an additional $30 cancellation fee. If a student is unable to pass the LGT class prerequisites, they will be refunded $70, based on full payment and will be reduced when the employee rate is paid. Once a student passes the prerequisites and is officially entered into the class, no refund will be issued. Please read the information below regarding successful class completion.

Class times are listed for below. You will be able to leave after you have finished your final test.

Upcoming Lifeguard Recertification Classes

2025 Dates

*January 20*

Monday 8:00 am - 7:00 pm @ Westminster

February 17

Monday 8:00 am - 7:00 pm @ Westminster

February 22

Saturday 8:00 am - 7:00 pm @ Westminster

* The asterisk denotes that the class is full or has passed *

 

To be notified of future class dates or class openings, click here

Lifeguard Instructor Certification

LGI Certification Class

The Lifeguard Instructor Certification course trains Lifeguarding Instructor (LGI) candidates to teach American Red Cross Lifeguarding, Lifeguarding Blended Learning, Shallow Water Lifeguarding, Aquatic Attraction Lifeguarding, Waterpark Skills, CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and Bloodborne Pathogens Training.

Prerequisites

  1. Minimum 17 years of age
  2. Possess a current Red Cross certificate for Lifeguarding/First Aid/CPR/AED
  3. Complete the Online Session for the Lifeguarding Instructor course and complete pre-course session

Note: To teach Waterfront Skills, LGIs must possess a basic-level Waterfront Skills certificate.

The cost of the course is $350. Cancellations made 7 days prior to the class date will receive a full refund. If a cancellation occurs within 7 days of the class start date, SPMC will retain a $25 cancellation fee. If the student has started or completed the online training, an additional $45 will be retained by SPMC.

Class times will vary. You will be able to leave after you have finished your final test.

Upcoming Lifeguard Instructor Certification Classes

2024 Dates

Atlanta Swim Academy

* April 22 - 25 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM *

To be notified of future class dates or class openings, click here

If our schedule doesn’t meet your needs, contact us and we can help you find a class offered through other local providers.

Lifeguard Certification Class Prerequisites

You will be required to complete the following skills at the beginning of the first day of class to participate in the Lifeguard Certification Class 

* Minimum Age Requirement: 15 years old *

 

  • Complete a non-stop progression of swimming skills as follows:
    • Jump in deep water, fully submerge and swim 150 yards freestyle (front crawl) or breaststroke
    • Tread water for 2 minutes with hands above water or under armpits
    • Swim 50 more yards freestyle (front crawl) or breaststroke
  • Retrieve a 10lb diving brick in deep water and return it to the side of the pool:
    • Starting in the water, swim 20 yards using freestyle (front crawl) or breaststroke, do a surface dive to a depth of 7-10 feet, retrieve a 10lb object, return to the surface, and swim 20 yards back to the starting point with the object, and exit the water without using a ladder or steps, within 1 minute, 40 seconds.

Passing the Lifeguard Certification Course

Once a participant has successfully completed the course prerequisites, they will be accepted into the class and will be instructed on how to become a lifeguard. To pass the course and become LGT certified, participants must complete the Blended Learning portion, the water skills test, and the written final exam with a minimum score of 80%. Requests for learning accommodations must be made in advance.

Questions?