Skip to main content

LIFEGUARD TRAINING HEADQUARTERS – Your Center for Life Guard Training

Facebook X-twitter Youtube Linkedin
Menu
Menu

Lifeguard Training in Story County, Iowa

Story County is home to Ames and Iowa State University, a major research university that anchors the county’s economy and population.
Get certified in professional lifeguarding, CPR/AED, and First Aid through a flexible, blended training program built for Story County’s university and college-town community.
Lifeguard Training in Story County

Lifeguard training in Story County, Iowa at a glance

In Story County, Iowa the course is $195.00 and runs 27.5 hours (7.5 online, 2 days in person). Entry requires age 15 and a 300 yard swim.

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
Swim 300 yards without stopping, tread 2 minutes with no arms, and bring a 10-lb brick up 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 Story County, Iowa.

CMAHC-Aligned Training

The curriculum is reviewed by American Aquatics and Safety Training against current standards from the Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code (CMAHC).
Our curriculum is designed for campus recreation, municipal pools, and camps serving Ames, Nevada, and Story City.

Core Curriculum

In Story County, the material covers two disciplines, water rescue and surveillance, and 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: Practise entries appropriate to shallow and deep water and to different deck configurations.
  • In-Water Stabilization: Apply in-water protocols for suspected spinal trauma without worsening the injury.

CPR & AED Training

  • High-Quality Compressions: Work to the required rate and depth, and let the chest come all the way back up.
  • AED Operation: Place the pads correctly and fold the device into the compression cycle without pausing longer than needed.
  • Rescue Breathing: Ventilate at the correct ratio, which differs between adults, children and infants.

Story County Lifeguard Certification Requirements

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

Minimum Age

Physical Performance Test

These are screening standards, not fitness goals: they confirm you can work in deep water before rescue training starts.
  • Swim 300 yards unbroken, choosing front crawl, breaststroke, or a combination.
  • 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.
  • Spotting and treating shock, heat illness and the other medical emergencies that occur poolside.

How It Works: The Path to Certification

Courses serving Story 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: Book the in-person skills session with us and have the date confirmed.
  • Step 3: Attend the session and satisfy both the physical prerequisite and the rescue evaluation.
  • Step 4: Finish by scoring a pass on the closing written evaluation.
Contact Us to Enroll

Packing Checklist for Your Skills Session

Arrive at the in-person session equipped with:
Proper swimwear icon

Proper Swimwear

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

Towels and warm layers icon

Towels & Warm Layers

Two or more dry towels and a warm change of clothes, which matter more than people expect between water drills.

Hydration and nutrition icon

Hydration & Nutrition

A water bottle you can refill, plus high-energy snacks for the demanding practical sessions.

Documentation icon

Documentation

Photo ID issued by a government body or school, confirming your age, required on the first day.

Certification

Upon successful completion, students in Story County earn a Certification from American Aquatics and Safety Training covering Lifeguarding, CPR/AED, and First Aid, valid for two years.
Curriculum review runs against current CMAHC-referenced criteria.
Requirements differ between organisations and regions, so check with the employer you are targeting that this certification satisfies their criteria.

Why Take Aquatic Safety Courses in Story County?

With Iowa State University and Ames’s public pools driving year-round aquatic activity, Story County has consistent demand for lifeguards with strong, current certification.
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 Story 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 Story 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.
They are. Certification through American Aquatics and Safety Training aligns with the standards the Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code (CMAHC) references.
Pack a swimsuit, towel, cap, dry clothes, drinking water and photo ID showing your age. You can wear goggles for the swimming element, though not for the object retrieval.
They are non-negotiable for safety. If day one does not go your way, expect precise feedback on what to work on and a transfer rather than a lost fee.
Find Upcoming Lifeguard Classes in Iowa by County

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

Enroll in a lifeguard class in Story County

$195 Total 27.5 hours, delivered as online modules and one in-person skills day. Certification is valid for two years.

Enroll now, $195

Our training partner American Aquatics & Safety Training schedules and runs the classes.

Lifeguard classes in Story County

The Story County route is online study on your own schedule, then a practical session in the pool. Certification in Story County spans water rescue, CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer and First Aid in one 27.5-hour course.

How the course is structured in Story 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 Story County are for

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

What lifeguard certification in Story County costs

For $195 a candidate in Story County gets the online modules, the skills session and a certification valid two years from issue. Story County runs classes year-round, and the online component starts at enrolment.

More lifeguard training locations

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

Worth reading first

Last updated September 20, 2026

Skip to content