NATIONAL POOL LIFEGUARD QUALIFICATION

This Qualification is accepted by all swimming pools in the U.K and is the minimum requirement towards employment in the industry.
Training and assessment for the qualification is in two units.
Unit 1 The principles of lifesaving and swimming pool supervision.
Unit 2 The application of supervision and rescue in a swimming pool.

Assessment for unit 1 takes place at the conclusion of a training course of a minimum of 33 hours.
It determines a candidate’s knowledge and understanding of the principles of working as a pool lifeguard and of his or her ability in a range of lifesaving skills as they relate to rescue in range of common emergency situations that could occur in any pool.
Unit 2 is continually assessed over a course of a minimum of a further 7 hours training. It determines the candidate’s ability to apply the unit 1 skills and knowledge in a work related environment as they would apply in a swimming pool.
The National Pool Lifeguard Qualification is awarded upon successful completion of both units.
Prerequisites

You must be at least 16 years of age prior to commencing the training course.

You must be able to demonstrate that you are able to:

• Able to jump or dive into the pool in deep water
• Able to swim continuously for 100metres
• Able to swim 5 0metres in under 1 minute
• Able to tread water for 1 minute
• Able to swim to the deepest part of the pool

Course content

Unit 1- the principles of lifeguarding and swimming pool supervision:

• Swimming pool operating procedures
• Normal operating procedures
• Emergency action plan
• Pool lifeguarding principles and theory
• Immediate response/land based rescue
• Contact rescue/ support tows
• Deep water recovery
• Spinal cord injury management
• Timed swim rescue conscious casualty/unconscious casualty
• Cardio pulmonary resuscitation
• First Aid at work

Unit 2- the application of supervision and rescue in swimming pools:

• The lifeguard, the law and related regulations and codes of practice
• The swimming pool and the role of the lifeguard
• Normal Operating Procedures of specific establishments
• Supervision skills of specific swimming pools
• Emergency Action Plan of specific establishments
• Provision of play equipment in the swimming pool
• Diving supervision and rules in swimming pools
• Flumes, waterslides and other water features in swimming pools

The candidate must attend the entire course and pass the assessment to be awarded the National Pool lifeguard Qualification.

SwimSmart run these courses on a regular basis normally over a 6 day period on school holidays and also over a 5 week period on a Saturday during term time. The costs of these courses are £225.This includes tuition, reading materials and examination.