Select Page
So, You Want to Be a Lifeguard? Certification and Testing

So, You Want to Be a Lifeguard? Certification and Testing

lifeguard equipment, watermen gear, original watermen,  lifeguard gear, lifeguard trainingCalifornia’s beautiful State Parks encompass over 900 miles of ocean coastlines plus thousands of miles of reservoir, lake and river shorelines. Thousands of lifeguards protect these water sources, to ensure the safety of the 50 million people, that travel to these parks each year. California’s State Parks employ around 600 seasonal lifeguards each summer. And each of these lifeguards have completed lifeguard training, certification and testing programs. Note: These programs are not swim classes, they can be seriously physically and mentally challenging.

 Understanding What Type of Lifeguard, You Want to Be

Lifeguard training is job specific, that said there are the following:

  • Pool Lifeguards – are responsible for public and private pools
  • Aquatic Attraction Lifeguards – watch over waterparks or pools that offer attractions, and a have a maximum water depth of 5 feet or less.
  • Waterfront Lifeguards – prevent and respond to emergencies in non-surf, open-water areas found at public parks, resorts, summer camps, campgrounds etc. life lakes, bays or rivers.
  • Beach Lifeguards – guard in all areas of open water with surf.

Qualifications

 Typically, agencies allow you to be 15 years of age, on or before the final day of the lifeguard training course, but most expect you to be 16. As well as possess a valid driver’s license, with a good driving record, at the time of appointment. Candidates must have the ability to read and write English and have no felony convictions.

The biggest and most important qualification is you must have the physical strength and endurance necessary to rescue a struggling victim in the water.

As well all candidates must be able to detect a struggling victim in the water by having 20/20 corrected vision, and 20/40 uncorrected vision, along with passing a hearing test.

Lifeguard Certification

Obtaining a lifeguard position is not an easy task. Everyone must attend lifeguard courses that teach you the skills needed to prevent, recognize, and respond to aquatic emergencies. Participants will be trained and certified in CPR for the Professional Rescuer (CPRO), and First Aid care for injuries and sudden illness until EMS (emergency services) take over.

You will also practice using life-saving flotation devices like rescue tubes to help struggling swimmers. You will be properly trained in using back boards to help move people who may have injured their spines, and CPR barrier devices called face shields. Face shields are placed over the victim’s mouth during CPR, to prevent the transmission of communicable diseases via bodily fluids. Pool guards will also be taught how to communicate with a whistle while on duty.

 Lifeguard Certification Cost

No matter the type of lifeguarding you choose, you must pass job specific certification classes. The American Red Cross, National Aquatic Safety, and the YMCA provide training courses for non-surf guards. Lifeguard training can cost anywhere from $125-$300 and can last from 21 hours-40 hours. Note: state, county and city lifeguard agencies provide their own training programs.

Lastly, everyone will be administered a qualification appraisal interview.

 Lifeguard Testing

You will need to pass a job specific written test, as well as a timed swim test. These tests and trainings are to ensure that you are able to provide beach and pool safety, enforce city ordinance laws, and learn how and when to prepare and file reports. Note: Lifeguard testing and tryouts differ between states and agencies, and some begin their testing as early as February, so they can spend their Spring Break doing more intense certification training.

 Lifeguard Recertification

 It is best not let your lifeguard certification expire, or you will have to repeat the entire process again. Lifeguard retesting is designed to inform you of the latest and most up to date lifeguarding techniques, to keep the people around you safe. Most lifeguard certifications only last one to five years.

If lifeguarding is still interesting to you, then start preparing now. Get in the water; work on your swim strokes and endurance.  Next up in this series, “what to expect at lifeguard tryouts”.

lifeguard equipment, watermen gear, original watermen,  lifeguard gear, lifeguard training

Want to Be a Lifeguard? What it Takes to Get Through Lifeguard Training

Want to Be a Lifeguard? What it Takes to Get Through Lifeguard Training

Buying Lifeguard Swimsuit, watermen baordshorts, watermen suits, watermen trunks, watermen equipment

Lifeguard Training

Lifeguard jobs require you to be strong, fit and able to swim. No matter what kind of lifeguard you decide to be (beach or pool), you need to start a training program.  You have to be able to swim and swim well. Not only is your life at risk but also the victims you are privileged to save.

Lifeguard Apparel

Training programs start with the right clothing. Choosing the right lifeguard apparel can increase or decrease your speed. Both Men’s lifeguard boardshorts, or women’s lifeguard swimsuits can fall off in the waves, restrict arm movement, cause rashes, and become transparent over time. Baggy lifeguard apparel without draining pockets create drag and slow you down. That is why proper lifeguard apparel is dire.

Women’s Lifeguard Swimsuits

Our lifeguard store carries a variety of one piece and two-piece lifeguard swimsuits made for competitive women. They are made from top quality materials; and they fit right and stay on through the roughest conditions. The X-Back Elite a one-piece lifeguard swimsuit and the Surf Bikini a two-piece lifeguard swimsuit are both durable, outrageously comfortable, and are double lined with cute thin straps.

Men’s Lifeguard Boardshorts and Trunks

For those men who prefer board shorts our lifeguard boardshorts come with a rash free guarantee, have self-draining pockets and are made with ultra-soft nonabrasive material. The hottest trend for male lifeguards this year is the more efficient Watermen Short or boardshort liner worn under their lifeguard boardshorts. These boardshort liners, also known as compression shorts are made for the water, workouts and competitions. Watermen compression shorts help stabilize the joints and keep muscles warm, preventing muscle strain. Research shows that the compression shorts help decrease the heart rate and the lactic build up in athletes, therefore reducing the time it takes for muscles to repair themselves.

Note: Keeping your muscles warm before and after workouts or competitions is very important. Jumping in water with cold muscles can create all kinds of muscular problems. Remember cold muscles equal slower swim times and cramped muscles.

Male lifeguards, especially in winter often wear rashguards to help keep the upper body warm.

Physical Lifeguard Training

Swim Strokes

The two most commonly used strokes in competitions are the freestyle and breast stroke. You may choose any style stoke you feel most comfortable with, but the freestyle stroke known as the front crawl is the most common and is the fastest. Beginners who are uncomfortable in the water need to practice this stroke. The freestyle stroke burns around 500-700 calories an hour with moderate to high intensity.

Using the breaststroke in practice will build strength in your shoulders, legs, hamstrings, triceps, inner thighs, and builds strong chest muscles. This breaststroke is performed while you are on your chest, and you swim without moving your trunk. This breaststroke burns approximately 720 calories in an hour.

 Developing Your Own Technique

Your personal technique can improve your time, and increases your endurance.  Simple improvements can be made just by changing the position of your hands and feet. Your swim stroke should be pulled straight back as you roll on your side, and take a breath, and your elbow should come straight up by your ear as it reenters the water. You want to extend and glide as much as you can with each stroke. Make sure you stretch your body out and roll slightly as you reach forward. Using a pair of lifeguard fins will teach you to use your upper leg and glut muscles, creating a more powerful kick rather than using just your knee and foot. Swim fins also help by increasing the flexibility of your ankles.  You should also use swimmer’s snorkel, so that you can focus on body rotation and arm strokes with ease.

Do not hold your breath under water while swimming. Instead practice bilateral breathing. You can do this by exhaling when your face enters the water, and blowing out through your mouth.

Note: It is important that the air is blown out slowly, exhaling too fast might obstruct the next inhalation, causing hyperventilation.

Warm-ups

Always remember to do warm up exercises and stretch your joints, and muscles before you enter the water. Three sets of 8 full body squats will warm up hips, legs and back. Rotating the arms forward and backwards in both small and large circles will loosen up the shoulders and bring blood to the arms. Even doing a light jog will help increase oxygen to your muscles. And as always have plenty of fluids handy to keep your body well hydrated.

Weights

The use of weights will help make you stronger. Swimmers improve their performance and endurance by building muscle in their upper body. Remember powerful shoulders and arms propel you through the water. You do not need to use weights daily; remember your body requires rest days to allow the muscles to recover. It is important to develop your own weight strength program and aim to increase repetitions. At home or at the gym you can use standing dumbbells, resistance machines or exercise bands to build muscular strength and endurance.

Diet

A swimmer’s diet needs to combine protein and carbohydrates to ensure there is good muscular growth and endurance.

Pre-workout Meal

A great pre-workout meal is wheat toast with fruit, banana with a little cinnamon has been linked to stabilizing blood sugar, and improving brain function. If bananas aren’t your thing, try yogurt with a ½ a cup of trail mix, or even a yogurt and fruit smoothie

After Workout – Recovery Meal

When you are in recovery mode try grilled chicken with steamed veggies. If you must pan cook the veggies opt for olive oil instead of butter. Another option for those seafood lovers is salmon with sweet potato.

Whatever you choose to eat, just remember this is what will fuel you through to your optimal condition for what comes next, lifeguard certification and testing, which we will discuss in detail, in the next post.

Swim fins, Buying Lifeguard Swimsuit, watermen baordshorts, watermen suits, watermen trunks, watermen equipment

 

How to Keep Warm After Getting out of the Water?

How to Keep Warm After Getting out of the Water?

Hoodies, jackets, watermen warmth, Original Watermen Jackets, stay salty, earn your salt, Original watermen ApperalHoodies, Jackets and Sweatpants

Whether you are waiting for a rescue, your competition to begin, or you have just completed your event, there are a variety of hoodies, windbreakers and sweatpants to keep you warm and help get rid of the after chill. Here are some of our favorites.

Humboldt Hoodie

Say you are lobster diving from your kayak, and the water temperature drops, and your body is racked with chills, so it’s time to return to shore. You strip off your damp or wet clothes and want to put on something super soft and warm, we suggest reaching for a Humboldt Hoodie. Humboldt Hoodies are much thicker than your average weight cotton hoodies. The Humboldt hoodie is like wrapping yourself in a fleece blanket. It’s made to fit comfortable, so you can easily layer up. It has a zipper instead of being a pullover keeping your wet from soaking the fleece. It is electronic reach with headphone eyelet and an inside media pocket, it even has thumbholes in the cuffs.

K-38 Jacket

How about if the wind is blowing off the mid-February ocean water, and it’s raining lightly while you are warming up for that long open water swim. Your sweatshirt has gotten heavy and saturated with rain. Your phone no longer works because it too is soaked. This would have been the ideal opportunity for a K-38 Jacket instead of your cotton sweatshirt. The K-38 Jacket is made with 100% waterproof nylon and water resistant seams. The front snaps are great for that quick release right before your race starts keeping your muscles warm until the last minute, before you enter the icy water. And if you sweat a lot, this jacket has underarm grommets for ventilation, which allow you to set the temperature you desire inside your jacket.

Watermen Shepra Hoodie

Picture, you just got out of the frigid water after windsurfing at the Columbia Gouge in Oregon. You’ve been pounded by the chilly east wind for hours, your cold, your muscles are sore. This is the perfect time for a Watermen Shepra Hoodie to be waiting for you on the beach. The Sherpa Hoodie is a super thick soft sheep like fleece lined jacket. The Sherpa Hoodie even has fleece lined pockets for those cold cramping hands to thaw quickly.

Baja Hoodie

The whale sharks are in Baja this time of the year. The water is still warm and swimming without a wetsuit is a dream. As the sun sets and the whale shark scouting is finished for the night. In typical Baha fashion the wind kicks up lowering the temperature around you and you need to put on a light jacket. The Baja Hoodie is a mid-weight cotton jacket that is perfect for the pre-winter weather.

Watermen Pant

When your body is wet, your clothes will stick to you, making it difficult to pull on a pair of pants. The Watermen pant is different, there is no pant like it. It’s like a sweatpants, but not exactly. These pants are built to last and are made in the USA from 100% heavy-duty preshrunk cotton. They are chosen by watermen and lifeguards across the globe for their exceptional comfort, fit, and extra deep pockets and worn on dawn patrol, workouts, training, or whatever. The Waterman Pant has an elastic waist and draw cord for quick and easy removal. Choose from two types of cuff: with elastic for a more casual look, or without elastic for a more dress look. Don’t leave home without them!

We know the importance of being prepared mentally and physically, so we design equipment and clothes that withstand the elements. The wrong gear can mean injures or even death, so it is best to be prepared.

Hoodies, jackets, watermen warmth, Original Watermen Jackets, stay salty, earn your salt, Original watermen Apperal, watermen pants

Lifeguard Dogs, Our Hairy Heroes

Lifeguard Dogs, Our Hairy Heroes

rescue dog, original watermen, rescue equipment, training equipment, stay salty, earn your saltWho doesn’t love dogs. At Original Watermen, we salute all rescue dogs, but one in particular, Moby. Moby is our mascot, and he is a big beautiful platinum Golden Retriever. Moby accompanies lifeguard teams on trips to the beach, surfing adventures, kayaking and even goes whitewater rafting. He is a true Waterman.

Lifeguard Dogs (Rescue Dogs)

Coast Guards and lifeguard agencies alike are using hundreds of specially trained rescue dogs as part of their team. The most popular breeds are Newfoundlands, Golden Retrievers and Labradors. These breeds are being trained to act as lifeguards and are patrolling beaches, lakes and rivers around the world to help save people from drowning. These breeds are chosen because they are innately strong in the water. Rescue dogs are used frequently in Italy, Scandinavian countries and Europe, but there are less than 50 throughout the United States.  These dogs are not meant to replace human lifeguards, but to complement them.  Rescue dogs are trained work beside their human lifeguard as they both patrol the water.

Why Dogs?

Agencies are using lifeguard dogs because they increase the speed at which victims are retrieved. These magnificently trained dogs can easily jump from helicopters and speeding boats to reach swimmers in trouble, in instances where humans aren’t able. The lifeguard dogs remain solid, steady, and capable, no matter what their job might throw at them. Their work is becoming invaluable to the Coast Guards and lifeguard agencies everywhere.

The Rescue

Lifeguard dogs are always outfitted with a harness and a Marine Rescue Patrol Can or a Rescue Tube. When the lifeguard dog sees someone in trouble, they rush into the water towing the rescue tube or rescue can with them. Once they reach the victim, the victim grabs hold of the rescue gear, and the dog paddles back to safety, with the distressed swimmer in tow. In quieter waters the lifeguard dogs are being trained to tow a life raft to the distressed swimmer. The victim will sit or lay on the raft and get towed back to shore. These dogs are strong enough to pull three people linked together back to shore. If the dog approaches a face down victim or the swimmer is unconscious, the dog has been trained to grab the person’s upper arm in their mouth and roll the victim onto his back thus keeping his face out of the water. The lifeguard dog will then drag the victim to safety with its teeth, tugging him ashore by his arm, shirt or bathing suit.

Believe it or Not

These lifeguard dogs are also used for search and rescue. Their powerful sense of smell helps locate the bodies of drowned victims. Mud bottoms, or dark cloudy waters leave dive teams with limited underwater visibility, and they need help narrowing down the location of the drowned victim.  Lifeguard rescue dogs are bought in to ride with lifeguards and search teams. The dog rides around the drowning site in a small boat sniffing the water’s surface for oil and skin particles that have risen to the surface of the water. The dog indicates by scratching the bottom of the boat, barking or some other signal that he has found the victim. A dive team is then sent in to retrieve the body. The search and rescue teams may search for hours with no luck, but with the help of the lifeguard dog it may only take minutes.

Rescue Dog Traits

To qualify to be a dog lifeguard, the dog must weigh at least 30 kilograms (66 pounds), and have a natural love of swimming. Retrievers are ideal because they enjoy fetching anything from the water, and bringing it back to the shore. Plus, they have calm and easygoing personalities and do not panic easily.

Training

Training for these canine lifeguards begins as a puppy, and continues until they are at least two to three years old. Each dog works in tandem with a human lifeguard who also acts as the animal’s trainer. During training the lifeguard dogs are taught to recognize the signs of a drowning person, how to approach and maneuver a drowning or distressed victim. They also learn to choose the best landing points (when jumping from a helicopter or boat), and how to decipher the safest currents or routes.

Rescue dogs are extraordinary animals, that do amazing feats, saving thousands of lives each year. We are proud to supply the Coast Guard, and lifeguard rescue dogs around the world with the lifeguard equipment needed to carry out these rescues.

Rescue Tube, rescue dog, original watermen, rescue equipment, training equipment, stay salty, earn your salt

Pin It on Pinterest