Certifications

The Combined Bronze Medallion and Bronze Cross course is an intensive training program that combines two professional lifesaving levels into one accelerated pathway. It is designed for motivated individuals who want to quickly develop essential and advanced lifesaving skills while progressing toward employment opportunities as assistant lifeguards.

The training begins with the fundamentals of lifesaving, focusing on the four core principles: judgment, knowledge, skill, and fitness. Participants develop essential rescue techniques such as towing, carrying, defensive methods, and releases to prepare them to respond to conscious and unconscious victims in a variety of progressive scenarios.

The program continues with more advanced lifesaving skills from the Bronze Cross level, including deep-water rescue techniques, spinal injury management, and assisting individuals experiencing a cardiac emergency.

Certification Benefits

• Qualifies participants to work as assistant lifeguards

Duration

• Approximately 35 hours (excluding final exams)

Prerequisites

• Must be at least 13 years old at the time of the final exam
• A swimming skills assessment may be conducted at the beginning of the course to determine eligibility

Certification Validity Period

• Two years
• Recertification is possible even if the certification card has expired

Maintaining Certification

• Successfully complete a recertification exam

Next Level

• National Lifeguard

The Lifesaving Society Standard First Aid course is a 16-hour training program that is essential for aspiring lifeguards. This certification covers advanced first aid skills, including responses to medical emergencies (seizures, blood sugar emergencies, poisoning, and drowning), environmental emergencies (cold or heat-related injuries, burns, and electrical injuries), and trauma situations (head, spinal, and chest injuries).

The National Lifeguard – Pool certification is the only lifeguarding certification recognized across Canada. Holders of this certification can work as lifeguards anywhere in the country. This course is designed to deepen participants’ understanding of lifesaving principles while developing sound judgment and a responsible attitude toward the duties and responsibilities of lifeguards in aquatic facilities.

Four specializations are available: Pool, Waterfront, Surf, and Waterpark.

CASO offers the National Lifeguard – Pool certification course year-round.

Eligibility
National Lifeguard certification holders may work as lifeguards starting at age 17 (B-1.1, r. 11 – Regulation respecting safety in public pools).

Pool Specialization
The National Lifeguard – Pool certification allows lifeguards to take on additional responsibilities in pool supervision and access a wider range of employment opportunities. This is the most popular National Lifeguard specialization.

A Lifesaving Instructor can teach the following certifications: Junior Lifeguard, Bronze Star, Bronze Medallion, Bronze Cross, Lifesaving Fitness, Distinction, and CPR. A Lifesaving Instructor may also teach Aquatic Emergency Care when they hold the Lifesaving Society First Aid Instructor certification.