LIFEGUARD TRAINING HEADQUARTERS – Your Center for Life Guard Training
Marshall County residents can pursue lifeguard and water safety certification training designed to serve rural communities in northeastern South Dakota. As area pools and recreation programs near Britton prepare for the summer season, locally trained residents help support safer swimming.
Courses are offered through in-person instruction and blended learning formats that pair online coursework with hands-on skills sessions, making certification manageable around school, work, and family commitments. Programs are designed for teens seeking their first job as well as adults pursuing camp, recreation, or aquatics staff positions.
Lifeguard training in Marshall County, South Dakota at a glance
In Marshall County, South Dakota 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
- 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 Marshall County, South Dakota.
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).
Training follows current aquatic safety standards. Whether a given employer or facility accepts the credential is their decision.
Core Curriculum
In Marshall 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: Choose an entry that suits the depth and the layout, then perform it at speed.
- 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: Work to the required rate and depth, and let the chest come all the way back up.
- AED Operation: Accurate pad placement, and a shock delivered inside the cycle rather than instead of it.
- Rescue Breathing: Ventilate at the correct ratio, which differs between adults, children and infants.
Marshall County Lifeguard Certification Requirements
To enroll in Marshall County, candidates must meet the following age and physical performance requirements.
Minimum Age
- 15 years or older for pool/waterpark certification.
- 16 years or older for waterfront/beach certification.
Physical Performance Test
These are screening standards, not fitness goals: they confirm you can work in deep water before rescue training starts.
- 300 continuous yards, front crawl or breaststroke or any combination of them.
- Tread water for 2 minutes using only your legs.
- Within 1 minute 40 seconds, retrieve a 10-pound object from 7 to 10 feet of water and swim it back, with no use of 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.
- Recognition and management of shock, heat-related illness and further medical emergencies.
How It Works: The Path to Certification
The Marshall County programme is delivered in two halves: self-paced study first, then a single scheduled practical block.
- Step 1: Finish the self-paced component covering rescue theory, CPR and AED use, and first aid.
- Step 2: Book the in-person skills session with us and have the date confirmed.
- Step 3: Complete the in-person day, clearing the physical gate and the rescue skills test.
- Step 4: Complete certification by passing the final written assessment.
Packing Checklist for Your Skills Session
Pack the following for your skills day:
Proper Swimwear
A functional, athletic-style swimsuit designed for rigorous physical activity.
Towels & Warm Layers
A minimum of two dry towels and warm layers, to stay at temperature during the gaps between drills.
Hydration & Nutrition
A refillable water bottle and high-energy food, since the physical sessions are long and demanding.
Documentation
Government or school photo identification proving your age, checked on Day 1.
Certification
Upon successful completion, students in Marshall 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.
Employers and regions apply different rules, so verify with the facility you want to work at that this certification meets what they ask for.
Why Take Aquatic Safety Courses in Marshall County?
Certified lifeguards remain in demand at pools, camps, and recreation programs across the region, offering flexible seasonal employment for residents of many ages. Training also provides essential life-saving skills that strengthen safety throughout Marshall 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 Marshall 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
Positions on beaches, oceans and waterfronts frequently call for open-water or waterfront rescue training that a standard pool certification does not include.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lifeguard Training in Marshall County
How long does lifeguard training take?
Budget roughly 25 to 27.5 hours in total. Because the format is blended, the classroom share is completed online and only the skills session needs to be attended in person.
Where is this certification accepted?
Yes. Standards referenced by the Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code (CMAHC) underpin the American Aquatics and Safety Training certification.
What should I bring to my in-person skills session?
Arrive with a swimsuit, towel, cap, a dry change of clothes, drinking water and age-verifying photo ID. Note that goggles are fine for the swim portion and not permitted for the object retrieval.
What happens if I don't pass the physical prerequisites?
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 South Dakota by County
- Lifeguard classes in Lyman County
- Lifeguard classes in McCook County
- Lifeguard classes in McPherson County
- Lifeguard classes in Meade County
- Lifeguard classes in Mellette County
- Lifeguard classes in Day County
- Lifeguard classes in Haakon County
- Lifeguard classes in Jerauld County
- Lifeguard classes in Roberts County
- Lifeguard classes in Union County
The full county index for South Dakota is on lifeguard training in South Dakota.
Enroll in a lifeguard class in Marshall County
$195 27.5 hours overall, combining self-paced online work with one in-person session. Certification runs two years.
Scheduling and delivery are handled by our training partner, American Aquatics & Safety Training.
Lifeguard classes in Marshall County and how they work
Booking a lifeguard class in Marshall County means completing the online portion first and then attending a scheduled skills session in person. Lifeguard certification in Marshall County bundles water rescue, CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer and First Aid into one 27.5-hour program.
What a lifeguard course in Marshall 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 Marshall County
Lifeguard courses in Marshall County are open to anyone aged 15 or over who can pass the swim test. People who become a lifeguard in Marshall County find work at community pools, waterparks, schools and universities, and supervised open water across South Dakota.
How much lifeguard certification in Marshall County costs
Lifeguard training in Marshall 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 Marshall County are available year-round.
More lifeguard training locations
- Lifeguard training in McCook County, South Dakota
- Lifeguard training in McPherson County, South Dakota
- Lifeguard training in Meade County, South Dakota
- Lifeguard training in Mellette County, South Dakota
- Lifeguard training in Miner County, South Dakota
- Lifeguard training in Minnehaha County, South Dakota
- Lifeguard training in Moody County, South Dakota
- Lifeguard training in Pennington County, South Dakota
Before you book a course
Last updated September 20, 2026