The Basic Lifeguard Certification Course covers the fundamental skills required of a lifeguard. This course is recommended for lifeguards who work at aquatic facilities with standard pools.

Prerequisites:
Swim 200 yards continuously
Retrieve a 10-pound brick from deep water and swim it 15 feet
At least be 16 years of age

Course Length:
18 to 24 hours

The Waterpark Deep Water Lifeguard Certification Course builds on the skills learned in the Basic Lifeguard Course while including information related to waterparks. Locations that lifeguards with this certification are authorized to work include wavepools, wading pools, activity pools, moving lazy rivers, slide catch-pools and kiddie pools. Required for waterpark lifeguards guarding water depth five (5) feet or deeper.

Prerequisites:
Swim 200 yards continuously
Retrieve a 10-pound brick from deep water and swim it 15 feet
At least 16 years of age

Course Length:
22 to 26 hours

The Water Park Shallow Water Lifeguard Certification Course teaches material required for lifeguarding water that is less than five (5) feet deep. Locations that lifeguards with this certification are authorized to work include wading pools. moving lazy rivers, slide catch-pools and kiddie pools. Recommended for all lifeguards working in shallow water areas.

Prerequisites:
Swim 50 yards continuously
Retrieve a 10 pound brick from a water depth of five (5) feet
At least 16 years of age

Course length:
12 hours

The Water Park Attendant Course teaches the skills required for working as a slide dispatcher or other positions that do not require swimming, but do require some familiarity with procedures and manageing non-aquatic incidents. Recommended for all personnel working in a waterpark in a non-lifeguard position.

Prerequisites:
No swimming skills required
At least 15 years of age

Course length:
4 to 6 hours

This course was designed by Dr. Grant Goold specifically for the aquatic environment and serves as a supplement to the initial lifeguard training. The course content is heavy on diagnostic skills including AED and Oxygen training. It is recommended for supervisors and advanced lifeguards.

Course length:
6 to 8 hours

Successful completion of this course enables the instructor to teach all our lifeguard programs including Advanced First Aid/CPR, Waterpark Attendant and Water Sentry. This course is recommended for individuals serious about teaching lifeguarding.

Prerequisites:
Basic or Deep Water Certification

Course length:
20-24 hours

Successful completion of this course enables the trainer to train others as NASCO Instructors at their facility. This course is by invitation only and is done by apprentienceship with NASCO’s senior staff. Those selected for this course must demostrate outstanding aquatic ability, leadership skills and a committment to the NASCO mission.

The Guardian Society is composed solely of lifeguards who have demonstrated that they are true Guardians of Life through hard work and exemplary service in the aquatics industry. These characteristics include but are not limited to leadership, morality/ethics, maturity, work attitude, the ability to think clearly under pressure and act appropriately in emergency circumstances. This program is a means for NASCO facilities to recognized remarkable individuals by nominating them to the Governing Board of the Society who examines the applications submitted by the nominee’s facility to see if the nominee shows the values and characteristics that best exemplify truly outstanding lifeguards. Those selected are inducted into the Guardian Society.

This course is for anyone who works at a resort, in any capacity. Its purpose is to educate resort workers , enhance their knowledge and awareness of safety. It is not intended to replace waterpark specific training, but rather to expand the necessary understanding of safety required of anyone working where is a pool on property. It includes CPR, First Aid and basic water-skills observation.

Prerequisites:
None

Course length:
6 hours

The Junior Lifeguard program called the “A-Team” is a lifeguard apprentice program for 14 and 15 year olds. Your facility benefits by recruiting these candidates and developing a support system of lifeguards for seasons to come. By spending a few weeks with your senior guards,  A-Team candidates will have a head start when it comes to lifeguard training if they return to the facility when eligible for employment.

NASCO’s Program’s are designed for “closed” water lifeguards that work at waterparks or flatwater aquatic facilities. It should be stated that NASCO lifeguards (shallow water, basic and deep water lifeguard) can be utilized in any aquatic situation provided that the limitations of their certification are not exceeded.  Example: A shallow water certified lifeguard working a deep water (over 5 feet deep) position.

Due to the special challenges that are inherently present at Open Water Facilities specific requirements are required. An Open Water Facility may utilize the NASCO program provided the following criterion are met:

1. The lifeguard must be able to see a victim in distress within 15 seconds and reach them within 20 seconds.
2. There should be no currents or significant wave action within the lifeguard’s “zone” or area of responsibility.
3. If “dark water” is present, the facility will need to have a specific protocol for bottom searches that has been developed and implentmented by the facility. It is not NASCO’s responsibility to develop and implement this protocol.
4. The limiting factors of the NASCO Lifeguard’s level of certification have not been exceeded.