Life Guards

[CBFryman 2]

I'm wondering if anyone here is a red cross certified life guard. I have 3 year BSA certification and CPR & First Aid certification. I'm growing tired of the monotony of repairing computers and working with my father. I have connections at the local pool but you have to be Red Cross certified.

What I'm asking is, what are the major dificulties in red cross certification? Past learning the saves properly and the hours of treading water while learning them, BSA is pretty simple in my opinion. Except the whole 1 mile per day 2.5 mile on the last day, swim thing. But I elected to do that, it was not required.

I would have a $1 per hour pay increase and I would be doing something I know I like, plus guaronteed hours 5 days a week for the summer, more if I teach swimming classes classes. Opinions on the job move? The only downfall is not working in the family means less flexable hours. However I'd be working among friends for a guy who is generally cool all around.

[DevilDriver 28]

I am certified here, although our lifeguard system is a tad different than in the US. My big challenge during certification was I had to do a bottom rescue and pull out on a guy that happened to be 325 lbs. Aside from that, everything is easy to remember and endurance was a strength of mine, so getting certified was simple. If you're in good shape and have passed Grade 8, you should be capable of passing, particularly if you've been swimming your whole life.

[CBFryman 2]

Sounds good.

I forgot about the bottom rescue. BSA botom rescue was a 25lb steel weight in merky waters. Nothing too dificult, though harder for us twig-skinny guys with no body fat boyancy.

[sgdenny 0]

Im a lifeguard during the summer and cert red cross. The class is not bad aside from all the swimming. Rescue techniques are fairly easy. I hear its pretty similar to BSA. You shouldn't have a problem passing. As a 18 year old kid, I get paid more then all my friends, have garunteed 40 hours a week, and chill at the beach all day. Hard to beat that. Lifeguarding is a very good job, definately more exciting then computers lol. You just need to be responsible.