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Lifeguard Training in Los Angeles County, California

Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the United States, with the city of Los Angeles as its county seat. It stretches from Pacific beaches like Santa Monica, Venice, and Zuma to the San Gabriel Mountains, and is home to one of the largest professional ocean lifeguard operations in the world.
Get certified in professional lifeguarding, CPR/AED, and First Aid through a flexible, blended training program built for Los Angeles County’s massive aquatics industry.
Lifeguard Training in Los Angeles County

Lifeguard training in Los Angeles County, California at a glance

Cost for Los Angeles County, California is $195.00. Total time is 27.5 hours, split into 7.5 online and 2 in-person days. You must be 15 and able to swim 300 yards.

Cost
$195.00 per participant, group discounts available.
Length
7.5 hours online plus 2 days in person (27.5 hours total).
Minimum age
15 by the last day of class.
Swim test
A continuous 300 yard swim, a 2 minute tread without arms, and a 10-lb brick recovered from 7 to 10 ft inside 1:40.
Certifications
Lifeguarding, CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer, First Aid.
Valid for
Two years. Recertification is 10 hours in person.
Format
Blended, online at your own pace, then an in-person skills session available on request in Los Angeles County, California.

CMAHC-Aligned Training

Curriculum review at American Aquatics and Safety Training tracks the current standards of the Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code (CMAHC).
Our curriculum is designed for pools, waterparks, and aquatic facilities serving communities like Los Angeles, Long Beach, Santa Monica, and Pasadena.

Core Curriculum

In Los Angeles County, two disciplines make up the coursework: water rescue and surveillance, then professional resuscitation.

Water Rescue & Surveillance

  • Active vs. Passive Recognition: Scan a zone to a repeatable pattern, and tell an actively struggling swimmer from a silent, unconscious one.
  • Water Entries: Drill fast entries matched to varying pool depths and facility shapes.
  • In-Water Stabilization: Hold and protect casualties with possible head, neck or back damage until extrication is safe.

CPR & AED Training

  • High-Quality Compressions: Correct compression rate, correct depth, and a full release between compressions.
  • AED Operation: Get the pads in the right place and work the unit into the cycle with minimal downtime.
  • Rescue Breathing: Ventilate at the correct ratio, which differs between adults, children and infants.

Los Angeles County Lifeguard Certification Requirements

To enroll in Los Angeles County, candidates must meet the following age and physical performance requirements.

Minimum Age

Physical Performance Test

Rescue training assumes a working level of swimming ability, and these benchmarks are how that assumption gets verified.
  • Complete 300 yards without stopping, using front crawl, breaststroke, or both.
  • Tread water for 2 minutes using only your legs.
  • Recover a 10-pound object lying at 7 to 10 feet inside 1 minute 40 seconds, then carry it back through the water without touching a ladder or the steps.

Skills You'll Master

The curriculum is organized into three core disciplines: water rescue, resuscitation, and first aid.

Water Rescue Techniques & Surveillance

  • Reaching and throwing assists using rescue equipment.
  • Active and passive drowning victim rescues.
  • Multiple-victim response prioritization.
  • Submerged victim recovery in shallow and deep water.

CPR / AED for Professional Responders

  • Adult, child, and infant CPR technique.
  • Two-rescuer CPR coordination.
  • AED use on adult, child, and infant victims.
  • Choking and airway obstruction response.

Advanced First Aid & Medical Emergencies

  • Bleeding control and wound care.
  • Identifying shock and heat illness early, and responding to other medical emergencies.

How It Works: The Path to Certification

Courses serving Los Angeles County run on a blended model, which keeps most of the study off the calendar and away from a classroom.
  • Step 1: Study the online material: rescue theory, CPR and AED, and the first aid fundamentals.
  • Step 2: Contact us to reserve your in-person skills day and lock in the schedule.
  • Step 3: Attend in person, pass the water prerequisite, then pass the rescue skills evaluation.
  • Step 4: Sit and pass the final written evaluation to finish.
Contact Us to Enroll

Packing Checklist for Your Skills Session

For the skills clinic, bring:
Proper swimwear icon

Proper Swimwear

A functional, athletic-style swimsuit designed for rigorous physical activity.

Towels and warm layers icon

Towels & Warm Layers

Two dry towels minimum, plus warm clothing to keep your core temperature up between drills.

Hydration and nutrition icon

Hydration & Nutrition

A refillable water bottle and high-energy food, since the physical sessions are long and demanding.

Documentation icon

Documentation

Valid photo identification from a government or school source, verifying age at Day 1 registration.

Certification

Upon successful completion, students in Los Angeles County earn a Certification from American Aquatics and Safety Training covering Lifeguarding, CPR/AED, and First Aid, valid for two years.
Course content is reviewed against the CMAHC-referenced criteria in force.
What an employer accepts varies by organisation and by region. Confirm with yours before assuming this certification covers their requirement.

Why Take Aquatic Safety Courses in Los Angeles County?

From beach cities and public pools to waterparks like Raging Waters, Los Angeles County offers year-round aquatics employment, and demand for certified lifeguards is among the highest of any county in California.
Throughout the course, you’ll receive hands-on instruction in:
  • Injury prevention and facility safety
  • Patron surveillance techniques
  • Water rescue skills
  • Victim assessment
  • First aid
  • CPR/AED

Career Opportunities

A lifeguard certification can open the door to rewarding employment opportunities in Los Angeles County and beyond.
  • Pool and waterpark lifeguard positions
  • Resort and hotel aquatics staff
  • Community and recreation center supervision
  • Camp and school aquatics programs
  • Aquatics facility management

Frequently Asked Questions About Lifeguard Training in Los Angeles County

How long does lifeguard training take?

The full course runs about 25 to 27.5 hours. Most of that is the online classroom component, which you finish before the required in-person skills session.
Yes, the certification follows standards referenced by the Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code (CMAHC) and is issued by American Aquatics and Safety Training.
You will need swimwear, a towel, a swim cap, a dry change, water, and photo identification confirming age. Goggles are permitted on the swim and prohibited on the object retrieval.
The prerequisites are a safety gate and cannot be waived. Miss them on day one and instructors will tell you exactly what to practise, with a transfer into a later session once you are ready.
Find Upcoming Lifeguard Classes in California by County

Every county in California is listed on the California training page.

Enroll in a lifeguard class in Los Angeles County

$195 Expect 27.5 hours: online coursework plus one skills session in person. The resulting certification is valid for two years.

Enroll now, $195

Classes run through American Aquatics & Safety Training, the training partner for this site.

Lifeguard classes in Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County classes separate theory from practice: the coursework is online and self-paced, the assessment is in the water. A Los Angeles County certification covers water rescue, CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer and First Aid inside one 27.5-hour course.

How the course is structured in Los Angeles County

Two components make up the course. The online half handles surveillance, rescue theory and emergency action planning. The in-person half is assessment: entries, approaches, extrications and spinal management.

Who lifeguard courses in Los Angeles County are for

Lifeguard courses in Los Angeles County are open to candidates aged 15 and over who can pass the prerequisite swim test. Most people who become a lifeguard in Los Angeles County go on to work at community pools, waterparks, school and university facilities and open-water sites across California.

What lifeguard certification in Los Angeles County costs

$195 buys the whole Los Angeles County course: online modules, the practical session, and a certification good for two years from the date of issue. Los Angeles County classes run all year, with online access from enrolment.

More lifeguard training locations

4.9 out of 5 ★★★★½ from 409 reviews of the lifeguard certification course.

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Last updated September 20, 2026

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