A lifeguard is usually thought of as someone in red who sits by the water watching for trouble. The main purpose of this person is to rescue people who are in danger while enjoying the water. As the way of thinking about a lifeguard continues to evolve, the American Lifeguard Association (ALA) believes that the lifeguard of the future may very well be a person who is not only there when there is a problem but is proactive in trying to prevent issues from ever occurring.

The ALA believes that to continue making progress towards achieving systemic aquatic safety, we need to ask ourselves: How can we truly guard our communities from harm if we do not also guard and protect the water in which our communities live, work, and play?

The ALA has actually been a leader and innovator in the field to achieve a systematic approach to aquatic safety for over 30 years. Although the ALA is widely recognized and respected as one of the only models available to provide rigourous scientific-based lifeguard training for national aquatic certifying agencies, the deeper message of the ALA brand is a very important question: Can we truly guarantee the safety of people’s lives if we do not also guarantee a safe aquatic environment?

How Does Environmental Stewardship Become a Core Lifeguard Skill?

Lifeguard training programs historically have simply provided instruction on rescue techniques, CPR and first aid. The ALA’s national program is no exception, teaching these core components based on current evidence-based practices for emergency cardiovascular care (ECC) and U.S. Lifeguard Standards. However, the needs for a quality lifeguard training program today need to encompass the changing nature of the threats presented by our waterways (e.g., pollution, the emergence of harmful algal blooms, overwhelming amounts of plastic waste, and the continuing degradation of the water quality).

The American Lifeguard Association(A LA) is leading the charge to promote and implement this method. The ALA’s lifeguards are taught to:

• Take personal ownership of their individual responsibilities
• To raise public awareness of this issue as a problem of our environment that is developing, producing educators and advocates;
• Supplying ALA-certified lifeguards with the necessary knowledge and skills to recognize environmental hazards, comprehend the correlation between environmental threats and the safety of swimmers,
• To represent the public the risks of these threats

This will move lifeguards from just being observers to becoming powerful advocates for prevention and aligning with ALA’s commitment to finding solutions for environmental issues, thereby allowing them to op One beach or waterway at a time safer in the future.

What is the Role of a Lifeguard in a Changing World?

The landscape of water recreation is changing fast! Facility owners across America and other countries (e.g., community pool managers, university recreation departments or professional aquatic facilities) are realising that their safety management systems must be extended beyond just the water edge.

The ALA’s training is available anywhere, anytime (no longer needing to wait for a group class) and has been custom-designed for this new environment. Not only does the ALA program train guards on how to prevent accidental drownings, but it also prepares them to combat other impacts created by the degraded water environment that we live in today.

The need for this broader role requires a new type of professionalism; one where a lifeguard is as successful in securing their lifeguard certification by ALA based on ethics and environmental awareness as they are based on their physical competency. The ALA’s commitment to providing a code of ethics to all qualified lifeguards and providing high-quality health and safety training now encompasses this new environmental responsibility.

By including this element in the work that the ALA does to provide health and safety training to swimming pool operators, professional aquatics facilities and beach owners/operators, the ALA ensures that all ALA Certified Lifeguards will not only be excellent aquatic safety professionals but also stewards of the complete aquatic safety ecosystem for their customers.

How Does Innovation Support This Expanded Mission?

To protect the planet and its people, we need modern tools to do so. The ALA uses technology to provide us with the means to enhance our current network of guardians, as well as to improve the way that we operate. One of the new tools that they utilize is the ULC (Universal Lifeguard Certification) system, which is approved by ALA, to help instructors and facilities have the maximum amount of oversight over their activities.

All Professional Lifeguard Instructors now have access to an up-to-date account of how many students have taken and completed their courses through the ULC database, which ensures that a lifeguard’s certifications are valid and the lifeguard is fully environmentally trained. Instructors can utilize the ULC system to add an expanded curriculum for their students to the ULC, and to access information on safety and environmental best practices.

This system has been designed to be used by instructors, and it provides for the seamless addition of additional curriculum content to the ULC. It supports ALA as one of the leading organizations in the development of a viable network of professionals in the field who are up to date on the current safety and environmental practices and procedures. The simple ID card that the ULC provides for managing student credentials also represents a level of comprehensive knowledge.

Why is This Integrated Approach the Future of the Profession?

The American Lifeguard Association promotes a holistic view of lifeguards as a core element of community wellness. The ALA provides non-emergency training to help you prepare to be there for struggling swimmers, along with training that prepares you to become part of the environmental protection movement.

This hybrid approach captures the attention of the next generation of lifeguards and facilities interested in hiring them. Schools, municipalities, and resorts have become increasingly interested in partnering with organizations that understand the interrelatedness of lifeguarding and environmental awareness through partnerships with the ALA, which has 30 years of demonstrated experience as a leader in this critical area.

Ultimately, the brand of the ALA represents a powerful shift in the way we think about lifeguards. In the future, the bravest lifeguard will likely be the one who is able to predict and prevent an environmental hazard before the swimmer even knows they need to be rescued. The goal of the ALA is to develop an entire profession of individuals who are dedicated to being proactive in our efforts to protect our environment and educate those who are likely to use our natural resources.

When you choose to get a lifeguard certification from the American Lifeguard Association, you are not just taking the next step in your career. Instead, you are committing to a shared vision where clean, safe water and swimmers who are safe from harm represent two sides of an indelible coin. You are making a commitment that we cannot protect people unless we first agree to protect the places we enjoy when we go swimming.