If you’re looking for the perfect summer job, spending all your time at the pool or the beach can be extremely appealing. Being a lifeguard can be especially intriguing, but do you have what it takes to do the job well? People’s lives are depending on you. It’s about more than putting on lifeguard swimwear and looking pretty. Speedo lifeguard swimsuits and Swim Stuff lifeguard shorts may be necessary, but there’s a lot more to it.

The Swim Test

It may go without saying, but a lifeguard needs to be able to not only swim, but swim well. You can’t put on a pair of Speedo lifeguard shorts and call yourself a lifeguard if you can’t make it across the pool without floundering. To become a lifeguard, you should be able to:

• Swim at least 300 yards, or six laps
• Tread water with your legs only for at least two minutes
• Complete a timed event

American Red Cross Training

While the ability to swim is an important element to becoming a lifeguard, there is additional training you will need. First aid is of utmost importance if you want to help people stay safe at the pool or beach and even save lives when necessary. Every state has their own requirements regarding which training is needed and how often. During the course of your training, however, you will learn how to prevent and recognize distress in the water, CPR, AED use, other first aid treatments and more. The goal of this training is to prepare you for any type of emergency you may encounter while you are on duty. In most cases, you will need to pass a written test with at least an 80 percent after attending all sessions and then pass three skills assessments.

Becoming a lifeguard requires more than donning the right lifeguard swimwear and sitting by the pool or at the beach. You need to have a good understanding of how to spot an emergency and most importantly, how to handle whatever may arise. This will ensure the safety of everyone in and around the water and give you the skills you need to save lives when it becomes necessary.

If you’re looking for lifeguard swimwear in Dallas, TX, contact us. We carry everything you need to keep pools and beaches as safe as possible for swimmers of all ages.