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Want to be a lifeguard?

Upcoming Lifeguard Training November 8th

Lifeguards are required to be certified in advanced first aid and water rescue techniques before they are able to take a seat in a lifeguard chair or tower. Students will first take our Lifeguard Training course and learn a basic set of first aid skills, water rescue & water extrication techniques.

You'll learn Basic Life Support, Oxygen Administration, Blood Borne Pathogen Training and First Aid skills based on the national Emergency Medical System educational standards. This course is great for people interested in pursuing a career in public safety and a required certification to apply to work as a lifeguard for the City of Oceanside.

Pre-Course Requirements

All prospective participants must be at least 15 years of age by the first class meeting and have successfully completed the Pre-course swim test before registering. Pre-course swim tests are available by appointment only and consist of the following:

• 300-yard continuous swim using either front crawl, breaststroke, or a combination of both
• Two minutes of treading water without the use of your hands
• A timed brick retrieval event including: swimming 15 yards, retrieving a 10 pound brick from a water depth of 10 feet, swimming 15 yards with the brick above the water and exiting the pool without the use of the stairs within 1 minute and 40 seconds.

Call Wagner Aquatic Center at (760)435-5370 to book your pre-course swim test appointment.

How to Register & Prepare for Class

1. Participants or guardians must have access to an ActiveNet Account.
2. Call William A. Wagner Aquatic Center to schedule a pre-course swim test at or (760) 435-5370.
3. Aquatics Staff will add the lifeguard pre-course skill to the participant's ActiveNet Account upon successful completion.
4. Register online or in-person after you pass the pre-course swim test.
5. Email the Lifeguard Training Instructors to have your American Red Cross account set up at oceansidelifeguardtraining@gmail.com.
   *All emails registered with the American Red Cross must be the participant's personal e-mail address, as opposed to a guardian or shared family email address.
6. Download & read your upcoming class syllabus (See Below).
7. Purchase optional course materials.
8. Complete your homework & log into the American Red Cross website before the first class meeting.

What to Expect

We offer two types of Lifeguard training courses throughout the year. The three day course is Lifeguard training only. The 5 week course includes Emergency Medical Response training. 

The three day course meets  Saturday-Monday 7:00am-3:00pm whereas the 5 week course meets three days a week on Mondays/Wednesdays from 6pm-9pm and Saturdays
from 7am-11am.

To successfully receive course certifications, 100% attendance is required, and all exams must be passed with a minimum of 80%. Upon successful completion, participants will receive two-year certifications in:

• Lifeguard Training
• Basic Life Support (formerly CPR for the Professional Rescuer)
• Oxygen Administration
• First Aid
• AED

Participants will additionally receive a one-year certification in Blood Borne Pathogen Training.

Certifications are e-mailed to successful participants at the end of the course and require a $42 payment.

Already took our class and would like your certifications? Digital Certifications are available from the American Red Cross website.

Find Your American Red Cross Digital Certificates

Course Fees & Materials

Course registration fees paid to the City of Oceanside include course materials and certification fees. Course Textbooks are available for purchase (optional) from the American Red Cross website or provided as a free PDF file:

• Lifeguard Training Textbook

Please make checks payable to the City of Oceanside.

Email Instructors

Done with Your Swim Test & Ready to Enroll?

Register for Lifeguard Training