Open the door to employment opportunities 

Take up a YMCA Aquatic Certification 

Certification as a lifeguard or swimming instructor can lead to employment and volunteer opportunities at the YMCA and elsewhere. You’ll also develop leadership skills that can have a profound impact on your future success.

Please note:

Prerequisites: Lifesaving Society only recognizes Emergency/Standard First Aid certification (need not be current) from one of: Lifesaving Society, St. John Ambulance, Canadian Red Cross, Canadian Ski Patrol. 

A physical standards exam is scheduled for the last day of Bronze Medallion, Bronze Cross, NL, LSS Swim and Lifesaving Instructor, Emergency First Aid and Standard First Aid courses. Exam dates cannot be re-scheduled. Anyone who fails to attend the exam date must re-take the full course.

Swimming, Swim Instructor, and Lifeguard Certifications

Swim Patrol: Rookie, Ranger, or Star

Focuses on stroke improvement and endurance, and develops First Aid skills and rescues to prepare participants for the Lifesaving Society course.

Pre-requisite: Participants must be able to swim 25m and tread water in deep end.

Bronze Star + Basic First Aid

Prepares candidates for the Bronze Medallion program. Candidates will learn rescue skills, First Aid, resuscitation, and self-rescue techniques, while improving stroke technique and endurance.

Pre-requisite: Participants must at least hold the Ranger award in Swim Patrol

Bronze Medallion + Emergency First Aid and CPR ‘B’

In the Lifesaving Society’s Bronze Medallion course we emphasize the lifesaving principles embodied in the four components of water-rescue education: judgement, knowledge, skill, and fitness. Rescuers learn tows and carries as well as defence methods and releases, preparing themselves for challenging rescues involving conscious and unconscious victims of various types.

The Emergency First Aid course covers the general knowledge of First Aid principles and the emergency treatment of injuries. Skills include victim assessment, rescue breathing, CPR, choking, and what to do for external bleeding, heart attack, and stroke.

Prerequisite: Participants must be at least 13 years old or must have completed Bronze Star.

Bronze Medallion is a Lifesaving Society (LS) certification offered through the YMCA.

Requirements: 100% attendance is required by the Lifesaving Society. A physical standards exam is scheduled for the last day of the course. Exam dates cannot be re-scheduled. Anyone who fails to attend exam date must re-do the FULL course.

Bronze Cross + Standard First Aid and CPR ‘C’

Bronze Cross course challenges Lifesavers with more advanced training and introduces safe supervision in aquatic facilities, the principles of teamwork, procedures and use of special equipment. 100% attendance is required by lifesaving society.

Standard First Aid is a continuation of the Emergency First Aid course with a more detailed understanding of First Aid including: legal implications of First Aid treatment, spinal injuries, heat or cold injuries, bone and joint injuries, abdominal and chest injuries, burns, and medical emergencies

Pre-requisite: Participants must hold Bronze Medallion + Emergency First Aid and CPR ‘B’.

Bronze Cross is a Lifesaving Society (LS) certification offered through the YMCA. It is a prerequisite for all LS advanced training programs, including National Lifeguard and Instructor certifications (YMCA, Lifesaving Society and Red Cross).

Requirements: 100% attendance is required by the Lifesaving Society. A physical standards exam is scheduled for the last day of the course. Exam dates cannot be re-scheduled. Anyone who fails to attend exam date must re-do the FULL course.

National Lifeguard

Learn how to fulfill your role as a professional facilitator of safe, enjoyable aquatics for everyone! The National Lifeguard (NL) course emphasizes teamwork, leadership, and communication in the prevention of accidents and in first aid treatment of medical emergencies.

Pre-requisite: Participants must be at least 15 years old by the date of exam and hold Bronze Cross + Standard First Aid and CPR ‘C’.

National Lifeguard is a Lifesaving Society (LS) certification offered through the YMCA. National Lifeguard is the only nationally recognized lifeguard certification in Canada.

Requirements: 100% attendance is required by the Lifesaving Society. A physical standards exam is scheduled for the last day of the course. Exam dates cannot be re-scheduled. Anyone who fails to attend exam date must re-do the FULL course.

LSS Swim Instructor and Lifesaving Instructor

This course contains two certifications: Swim Instructor and Lifesaving Instructor/Emergency First Aid Instructor certifications.

The Swim Instructor portion prepares the instructor to teach and evaluate the swimming strokes and relations skills found in the Lifesaving Society Swim for Life program.

The Lifesaving Instructor portion prepare individuals to organize, plan, teach and evaluate lifesaving and First Aid skills and resuscitation techniques in the Lifesaving Society’s Lifesaving and First Aid awards. 100% attendance is required by the Lifesaving Society.

Pre-requisite: Participants must be at least 15 years old by the date of exam and hold Bronze Cross or NL certification.

Requirements: 100% attendance is required by the Lifesaving Society. A physical standards exam is scheduled for the last day of the course. Exam dates cannot be re-scheduled. Anyone who fails to attend exam date must re-do the FULL course.

First Aid Certifications

Course Materials

Materials are an optional purchase (price includes taxes).

  • LSS Instructor Pack: $80 
  • Canadian Lifesaving Manual: $50
  • Alert – Lifeguarding in Action: $50
  • Canadian First Aid Manual: $15.70
  • Pocket mask: $15 

Course Cancellation

A minimum number of registrations is required to run the course. Course cancellation calls will be made to registered participants no later than 1 week  prior to the start date if the course will be cancelled. 

Contact 

If you have any questions, please reach out to Oliver Gane