Since 1990, the American Lifeguard Association® (ALA) has been a national leader in lifeguard training, lifeguard certification, CPR/AED, First Aid, and aquatic safety education. Our mission is to reduce drownings, promote water safety, and prepare professional lifeguards with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to protect lives in and around the water.
For more than three decades, ALA has worked with swimming pools, waterparks, beaches, schools, universities, municipalities, military organizations, employers, and government agencies throughout the United States and internationally. Our programs are designed to meet nationally recognized standards while providing students with a convenient, high-quality training experience.
The American Lifeguard Association is a national educational organization dedicated to improving aquatic safety through professional training, public education, and advocacy. We believe that effective lifeguarding is built upon prevention first, followed by rapid recognition and professional emergency response. Every course we develop is intended to prepare candidates to help prevent aquatic emergencies while providing effective care should an emergency occur.
ALA assists with the development of testing protocols and the administration of health and safety programs for swimming pools, waterparks, waterfronts, and beaches. Beyond training lifeguards, we have long promoted environmental stewardship by encouraging responsible use of aquatic environments and supporting initiatives that help keep beaches, lakes, rivers, and waterways clean for future generations.
Our lifeguard certification program reflects the latest Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) science and incorporates findings from the United States Lifeguard Standards Coalition Report. Students receive comprehensive instruction in patron surveillance, drowning prevention, rescue techniques, spinal injury management, CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer, First Aid, emergency oxygen, and the management of breathing and cardiac emergencies until Emergency Medical Services arrive.
Unlike traditional programs that require participants to wait for scheduled group classes, the American Lifeguard Association offers a video instructor-led blended learning program that allows participants to begin training immediately. Students review instructor-led videos, study the accompanying course materials, practice the required skills, complete the written examination, and earn certification in Lifeguarding, CPR/AED, and First Aid. Upon successful completion, certification records are uploaded to the National Verification System, allowing employers and health departments to quickly verify credentials.
Practical competency is addressed within the aquatics environment through employer-based pre-service evaluations and ongoing in-service procedures established to meet CDC Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC) requirements. These nationally recognized standards emphasize that certification is only one component of professional preparation and that employers are responsible for conducting documented pre-service evaluations and continuous in-service training to maintain lifeguard proficiency throughout employment.
National Recognition
The American Lifeguard Association is nationally recognized and is referenced by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division in its Field Operations Handbook, Chapter 33, in connection with federal standards governing lifeguard training, certification, and employment under 29 CFR § 570.34(l). The U.S. Department of Labor identifies American Lifeguard Association training as equivalent to American Red Cross training for purposes of these federal lifeguard employment regulations.
Official Reference
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/field-operations-handbook/Chapter-33
Additionally, the American Lifeguard Association is included in VHA Directive 1040, issued by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on April 16, 2025, as an approved provider of water safety certification for staff serving in VA-affiliated therapeutic and recreational aquatic settings.
Official Reference
VHA Directive 1040
VHA Directive 1040, Water Safety Certification Requirements for Therapeutic and Recreational Swimming Pool StaffDepartment of Veterans Affairs. VHA DIRECTIVE 1040. Veterans Health Administration. Transmittal Sheet. Washington, DC 20420. April 16, 2025.
These federal recognitions demonstrate ALA’s longstanding commitment to maintaining nationally recognized standards for lifeguard education and aquatic safety. Today, our certification programs are utilized by individuals, educational institutions, community pools, municipalities, employers, military organizations, and government agencies throughout the United States and internationally.
A Trusted Voice in Aquatic Safety
The American Lifeguard Association has become one of the most recognized voices in the aquatic safety profession. Our leadership is regularly contacted by national, regional, and local news organizations to provide expert commentary on lifeguard shortages, drowning prevention, beach safety, swimming pool operations, rip currents, water safety legislation, and emerging issues affecting the aquatics profession.
Over the years, ALA’s expert viewpoints have been featured in numerous television, radio, newspaper, magazine, and online media interviews. The Association’s leadership has appeared on or been interviewed by major national news organizations, including ABC News, CBS News, NBC News, FOX News, Good Morning America, the Today Show, and The Weather Channel, along with hundreds of local television stations, newspapers, and digital news publications across the country, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times. These interviews help educate the public while reinforcing best practices for aquatic safety and drowning prevention.
By working with the media, the American Lifeguard Association helps ensure that accurate, science-based information reaches families, aquatic professionals, government officials, and facility operators whenever important water safety issues arise.
Commitment to Excellence
The American Lifeguard Association adheres to a strict Code of Ethics and is committed to providing high-quality health and safety education. Every training program is regularly reviewed to ensure that instructional content reflects current science, nationally recognized standards, and accepted professional practices. Our goal is not simply to issue certifications but to prepare confident, knowledgeable, and highly capable aquatic professionals.
The Association also enjoys the support of Global Lifeguards, the Swimming Pool and Spa Foundation, and the Think Blue Too movement, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations dedicated to advancing aquatic education, water safety, and environmental responsibility. Together, these organizations help strengthen professional lifeguard training while promoting safer aquatic facilities and cleaner aquatic environments around the world.
Whether you are seeking lifeguard certification, lifeguard recertification, CPR/AED certification, First Aid training, ALA is here to help. We proudly support individuals, schools, universities, employers, government agencies, and aquatic facilities with responsive customer service and nationally recognized training programs.
We welcome you to the American Lifeguard Association® and invite you to become part of a nationwide community dedicated to professionalism, prevention, and saving lives. Since 1990, our mission has remained unchanged: to make America’s pools, beaches, waterparks, and waterways safer through exceptional education, professional training, and unwavering commitment to aquatic safety.
