Is the American Red Cross Lifeguard Training all I need to have in order to become a lifeguard everywhere?????

Or do I need to take both of these classes plus more? because i want to be over qualified any where I go to be a lifeguard.

(Here are some training classes below, should I take both? if yes, what others should I take too)

ARC Lifeguard Training
American Red Cross lifeguard training provides the skills, knowledge and professional development necessary to keep aquatic facility users safe in and around the water. Those completing the course will be certified. CPR for the Professional Rescuer, First Aid/AED and administering emergency oxygen are included in the training.

YMCA Lifeguard Training
This course is designed to provide the participants with the knowledge and skills needed to be a lifeguard. The comprehensive course offers up-to-date information on how to guard by anticipating and preventing problems before they occur and by taking action to help those in danger when necessary. It will include: accident prevention, guarding techniques, pool management and even more safety skill

There are four major certifications for lifeguarding:

American Red Cross: Offers Lifeguarding, Waterfront and Waterpark certifications. There is also a Lifeguard Management course. This certification is the most common.

YMCA Lifeguard: Not all YMCAs require the YMCA cert, but the certification is only good at YMCAs

Ellis: Not very common.

StarGuard: The least common, I've only known one person certified in it. She was in my Red Cross class because her new job didn't recognize it.

Here's what I would recommend. Contact the place you want to work and see what they require and take that course. It would be a HUGE waste of time and money to be certified in something thats not required. Having extra certifications that are not required does not make you a better job candidate.

When I am hiring guards, it can actually be a deterrent if they have more than one certification, and heres why. In an emergency, my staff needs to work as a team. They all have specific roles and responsibilities, which is based on their training. If a guard has more than one certification, which way are they going to do something? For example: What if they start to backboard someone the YMCA way, when all the other guards are Red Cross? More certs can make for more confusion.

Depending on where you want to work will depend on what certification you should get. Most pools require the red cross certification. You also need to know whether your pool requires the regular lifeguard course or the water park lifeguard course or if you are planning on working at a waterfront then you will need the waterfront course. Usually you just need the red cross course which includes CPR/AED certification, but check with the location where you want to work to be sure.

I would go with American Red Cross training. Its more of a nation wide certification, although you can get YMCA certified. My bosses prefer ARC training. With ARC training your lifeguard certif. lasts for about 3 years and first aid is included. CPR lasts for 1 year.
Correction you don't have to be certified for teaching swim lessons

american red cross is all that is needed and is accepted basically everywhere. i've never heard of a pool not accepting it.

however, if you would like to teach swim lessons you must also become WSI certified.

yes do red cross, that will be acceptable almost everywhere. A few beaches will require that you take the extra red cross beach course, but most dont. Red cross is definatley the way to go.

no. some lifeguards need emergency response courses. thats what i had to get at least.