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Water Safety Certification & Tips
Take a class in water safety and earn certification from the American Red Cross. Designed for individuals, swim coaches, lifeguards, and others who work or play on, in or near water, our classes can not only help you be safer – but give you the skills to help others during times of crisis.
Aquatics Certification Programs
Whether you work or volunteer in a field that takes you on, in, or near the water – or you're a weekend warrior who loves to swim, boat or paddle around the pool – our aquatics classes and certification programs can complement all that you do.
Some of our current certification classes include Lifeguarding, Water Safety Instructor® (WSI™), Safety Training for Swim Coaches, Lifeguarding Instructor, Lifeguard Management, CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and Basic Water Rescue.
Make Water Safety a Priority
To help you and those you love stay safer around the water, we offer of resources about water safety and drowning prevention for people of all ages. You can access our engaging children’s videos and activities, Red Cross Swim app, brief online courses and print out flyers to share them with others to help everyone learn what it takes to enjoy the water safely.
A Century of Swim Lessons & Water Safety
Launched in 2014, which marked our century of swimming safety education, the Red Cross Centennial Campaign is increasing our impact in communities with high drowning rates or numbers of drownings. The campaign helps our training providers reach families who would not otherwise have the opportunity to access this lifesaving training.
Our aim is to create an ecosystem of water safety in each community that starts with teaching children and adults to become water competent, which is a combination of knowing water safety, having swimming skills and knowing how to help others in a water emergency. The Aquatics Centennial Campaign is helping make the water a safer place for everyone and building confidence in water, for life.
Become an Ambassador for Water Safety
Whether a school teacher, a youth leader or community activist, you can join our drowning prevention mission and become an ambassador for water safety. Our online course and resources can help increase your confidence to teach others how they can be safer in, on and around water - all without a pool. In combination, Red Cross resources cover fundamentals of water safety, provides engaging lesson plans for children and older youth, and offers ideas on how to implement water safety education in your community.
Looking to take a class? Find swim lessons and aquatics certification classes in your area.
Looking to teach water safety to children? Learn more about our Longfellow's WHALE Tales water safety for children program.
Why Train With the Red Cross
Red Cross CPR Training Saves Lives
Reid Heiser, Life Saver
One week after 17-year-old Reid completed his Red Cross CPR training, he needed to use it. In November 2011, Reid saved the life of Jim Hammer after he collapsed at the recreation center where Reid worked. Now friends, they share their story.Red Cross training matters
For more than a century, we've prepared people to respond to emergencies of all sizes - from the everyday to the large disaster. Join the millions we train every year and learn the skills that can save a life."Without my friend's training, I would not be here"
- Watch Bre Dumke's Story"The first 7 minutes are critical"
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