Lifeguarding Information

Become a Lifeguard with the City of Madison

To become a lifeguard with the City of Madison, you must complete a lifeguarding course. The American Red Cross offers this course and it teaches candidates the knowledge and skills needed to prevent and respond to aquatic emergencies. The course content and activities prepare candidates to recognize and respond quickly and effectively to emergencies and prevent drownings and injuries.

To enroll in the lifeguarding course, you must be at least 15 years of age before the last scheduled class session.

Lifeguarding Pre-Course Skills

• Swim 300 yards continuously using these stroke in the following order:
  • 100 yards of breaststroke using rhythmic breathing and a stabilizing, propellant kick. Rhythmic breathing can be performed either by breathing to the side or to the front.
  • 100 yards of breaststroke using a pull, breathe, kick and slide sequence.
  • 100 yards of either the front crawl or breaststroke. The 100 yards may be a combination of front crawl and breaststroke.
• Starting in the water, swim 20 yards using the front crawl or breaststroke, surface dive 7-10 feet, retrieve a 10 pound object, return to the surface, swim 20 yards back to the starting point with the object, and exit the water without using a ladder or steps, within one minute, and 40 seconds.

Class Availability

Lifeguard course dates are tentative and set by the Aquatics Director.

To check class availability, contact Chris Lund (256) 772-2560

Applying for Lifeguard Position with Madison

To apply for a position as a lifeguard with the City of Madison, you will need to complete the application process with the Human Resources Department.