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Lifeguard Training in Grand Traverse County, Michigan

Grand Traverse County is centered on Traverse City, a major Northern Michigan tourism hub on Grand Traverse Bay known as the self-proclaimed Cherry Capital of the World and a gateway to Lake Michigan recreation.
Get certified in professional lifeguarding, CPR/AED, and First Aid through a flexible, blended training program built for Traverse City’s busy bayfront and municipal aquatics.
Lifeguard Training in Grand Traverse County

Lifeguard training in Grand Traverse County, Michigan at a glance

Cost for Grand Traverse County, Michigan 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 Grand Traverse County, Michigan.

CMAHC-Aligned Training

American Aquatics and Safety Training keeps the syllabus aligned with current Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code standards (CMAHC).
Our curriculum is designed for municipal pools, beaches, and marinas serving Traverse City, Acme, and Interlochen.

Core Curriculum

In Grand Traverse County, the coursework splits into 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: Stabilise and protect a casualty with suspected head, neck or back injury while still in the water.

CPR & AED Training

  • High-Quality Compressions: Rate and depth to standard, with complete chest recoil every time.
  • AED Operation: Accurate pad placement, and a shock delivered inside the cycle rather than instead of it.
  • Rescue Breathing: Deliver rescue breaths at the right ratio for adult, child and infant casualties.

Grand Traverse County Lifeguard Certification Requirements

To enroll in Grand Traverse 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.
  • A continuous 300 yard swim in front crawl, breaststroke, or a mix of the two.
  • Tread water for 2 minutes using only your legs.
  • A 10-pound object sits at 7 to 10 feet. Retrieve it and swim it back inside 1 minute 40 seconds, avoiding the ladder and the pool 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 Grand Traverse County run on a blended model, which keeps most of the study off the calendar and away from a classroom.
  • Step 1: Work through the online modules on rescue theory, CPR and AED, and first aid basics.
  • Step 2: Contact us to reserve your in-person skills day and lock in the schedule.
  • Step 3: Turn up for the practical day and clear both the physical prerequisite and the rescue skills assessment.
  • Step 4: Sit and pass the final written evaluation to finish.
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

Bring at least two towels and something warm to change into, because you will cool down fast between 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

Age-verifying photo ID, government or school issued, presented on Day 1.

Certification

Upon successful completion, students in Grand Traverse 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.
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 Grand Traverse County?

Traverse City’s Grand Traverse Bay beaches, municipal pools, and heavy summer tourist season generate strong, consistent demand for certified lifeguards across Grand Traverse County.
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 Grand Traverse 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 Grand Traverse County

How long does lifeguard training take?

Total contact and study time is in the region of 25 to 27.5 hours. The blended structure means the theory is done online in advance, leaving the in-person session for practical work.
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 you can work in, a towel, a swim cap, dry clothes to change into, water, and photo identification that proves your age. Goggles are permitted for the swim but must come off for the object retrieval.
These are mandatory, because rescue training cannot proceed safely without them. A candidate who falls short leaves with targeted guidance and a place in a later session.
Find Upcoming Lifeguard Classes in Michigan by County

All Michigan counties are listed on lifeguard training in Michigan.

Enroll in a lifeguard class in Grand Traverse County

$195 27.5 hours overall, combining self-paced online work with one in-person session. Certification runs two years.

Enroll now, $195

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

Lifeguard classes in Grand Traverse County and how they work

Booking a lifeguard class in Grand Traverse County means completing the online portion first and then attending a scheduled skills session in person. Lifeguard certification in Grand Traverse County bundles water rescue, CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer and First Aid into one 27.5-hour program.

What a lifeguard course in Grand Traverse County covers

The syllabus teaches surveillance and scanning, rescue technique, emergency action planning, and the CPR/AED and First Aid skills a professional rescuer is expected to perform. The in-person session is where each skill is signed off.

Prerequisites for lifeguard courses in Grand Traverse County

Lifeguard courses in Grand Traverse County are open to anyone aged 15 or over who can pass the swim test. People who become a lifeguard in Grand Traverse County find work at community pools, waterparks, schools and universities, and supervised open water across Michigan.

How much lifeguard certification in Grand Traverse County costs

Lifeguard training in Grand Traverse County is priced at $195 and includes every part of the course, online modules, the in-person skills session and two-year certification. Lifeguard certification classes in Grand Traverse County are available year-round.

More lifeguard training locations

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Last updated September 20, 2026

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