The American Lifeguard Association (ALA) is one of the world’s oldest and largest lifeguard training organizations. The ALA is dedicated to providing quality aquatic safety programs for everyone. We utilize public education, research and development, industry outreach, professional guidance, and accreditation services to achieve our goals.
Established in 1991, the ALA has grown into an international leader in aquatic safety, helping millions of people stay safe around water every day. With headquarters located outside Washington DC, the ALA’s mission is simple: to provide first responders with the knowledge to save lives. We seek to promote health and safety through training, certification, and continued education in aquatics. Over the past 30 years, ALA has trained over 250,000 individuals and currently has over 25,000 active members.
The ALA offers a variety of lifeguard training programs to meet the needs of our communities. Our certification program is accomplished through an instructor-led video training program, offering online materials and a final online exam that lets you get certified as an individual or small group right away. The training can be accomplished on your own and at your own pace. Upon completing the online portion of the program, you will be issued a two-year national certification in lifeguarding, CPR/AED, and First Aid. All the training materials, including the videos, will remain available to you throughout your two years of certification so that you can refresh your skills at any time. With this blended program, employers assess your skills and encourage you to continue practicing the skills through in-service training.
The skills taught in our national program reflect ECC science and the findings from the United States Lifeguard Standards Coalition Report. Our training programs can be taken anywhere and are utilized by individuals, schools, universities, and community pools both here in the United States and abroad. Over the years, the ALA has been listed on the CDC Healthy Swimming website. In addition, the U.S. Department of Labor and the General Service Administration (GSA) have determined that the ALA offers lifeguard certification programs similar to those provided by the American Red Cross.
Lifeguard training is essential for the safety of swimmers everywhere, not just in the USA. ALA offers comprehensive lifeguard courses for everyone, from professional lifeguards to general aquatic facility attendants. These courses include knowledge of water rescues, CPR/AED training, injury support care, spinal injury management, emergency response protocol, and more.
