National Lifeguard
National Lifeguard Course
National Lifeguard is a legal certificate for lifeguarding throughout the country. Upon
successful completion of this course, candidates will be certified to work as a lifeguard at any pool in Manitoba. To take the National Lifeguard course, candidates must have a Bronze Cross Certificate & Standard First Aid Certificate (Bronze Cross does not need to be current) and must be 15 years of age. Be sure to bring a whistle and a Canadian Lifesaving Manual. During the course, you will receive two new books: a National Lifeguard Award Guide and an Alert-Lifeguarding in Action textbook. A note for this course: Candidates must be able to swim 400 meters (16 laps) in under 10 minutes, so it’s a good idea to practice that skill before the first day of the course. The National Lifeguard Course takes 44 hours to complete.
National Lifeguard Recertification Course
To remain “current,” National Lifeguards complete a National Lifeguard recertification
exam. The only items evaluated on a National Lifeguard recertification examination are
marked with a (†) symbol in the At-a-glance list of test items, in the National Lifeguard
Award Guide. You are responsible for reviewing the required content and skills and
preparing yourself for the exam. Your exam is based on the National Lifeguard Award
curriculum. Candidates must bring a whistle and proof of prerequisite (previous National
Lifeguard certificate). The National Lifeguard recertification takes 4 hours to complete.