Junior Lifeguard Program Teaches Water Safety and Aquatic Skills

If your child loves swimming and other water sports, consider an alternative to the myriad of day camps this summer. The City of Los Angeles’ Junior Lifeguard program offers kids a chance to learn snorkeling skills, small craft safety and paddling techniques and water rescue, first aid and more.

The seven-week session begins in July and includes a field trip to Hansen Dam Aquatic Center and the beach as well as competitions at the end of the program. Each week’s specific focus will be as follows, according to the city’s  Junior Lifeguard brochure, which can be downloaded from the City of Los Angeles aquatics programs web page:

Week one: Basic water rescue skills, reaching assist with and without equipment, throwing assist, entries into the water and self-rescue in special situations will be taught during this segment. A review of intermediate level swim skills will take place throughout the week

Week two: Emphasis for this segment will be on small craft. The use of a PFD, or personal floatation device, parts of a canoe, types of paddles and different paddling techniques will be taught. Carrying a canoe, boarding and launching, capsizing of a canoe and falling out of a canoe will be reviewed on the canoe trip.

Week three: Rescue breathing and CPR demonstrations will be the emphasis for the week. Practice in the Junior Lifeguard Relays will be the majority of the water work. Preventing neck and back injuries will be reviewed.  

Week four: Beginning snorkeling skills will be taught during this week. A limited amount of masks, fins and snorkels will be provided. Participants may bring their own mask, fins and snorkels to take full advantage of the skill practice sessions. Skills taught are an introduction to equipment, defogging and clearing a mask and snorkel and swimming with mask and snorkel while kicking with fins.

Week five: Intermediate snorkeling skills will be taught during this segment, which will expand on previous material with more of an emphasis on preparing for a snorkeling skills test.

Week six: Participants will learn about victim recognition, scanning, emergency action plans, calling EMS, controlling bleeding, bone and joint injuries, seizures, sudden illnesses and self-rescue when clothed. Surface dives, underwater swimming and weight recovery from the bottom will be reviewed. It is important for the participant to bring jeans and a button down, long sleeve top for the segment on self-rescue when clothed.

Week seven: Volunteer activities around the pool will be assigned. Demonstrations of swim lesson plan and preparation for the All City Jr. Lifeguard Competition will take place.

Participants will receive certificate of completion.

The program is open to children ages 10 to 17 who can demonstrate at least an intermediate level swimming ability by successfully completing a 200-yard freestyle swim test and 100-yard lifeguard medley swim.

The cost to register is $40 and includes a Junior Lifeguard t-shirt, bus transportation to specific events, materials and instruction. The deadline to register is July 9, but keep in mind the number of participants per facility is limited to 20.