About Us

FULL AMERICAN LIFEGUARD ASSOCIATION® PROFILE

American Lifeguard Association Overview

The American Lifeguard Association (ALA) is one of the world’s oldest and largest lifeguard training organizations. The ALA is dedicated to providing quality aquatic safety programs for everyone. We utilize public education, research and development, industry outreach, professional guidance, and accreditation services to achieve our goals.

Established in 1991, the ALA has grown into an international leader in aquatic safety, helping millions of people stay safe around water every day. With headquarters located outside Washington DC, the ALA’s mission is simple: to provide first responders with the knowledge to save lives. We seek to promote health and safety through training, certification, and continued education in aquatics. Over the past 30 years, ALA has trained over 250,000 individuals and currently has over 25,000 active members.

The ALA offers a variety of lifeguard training programs to meet the needs of our communities. Our certification program is accomplished through an instructor-led video training program, offering online materials and a final online exam that lets you get certified as an individual or small group right away. The training can be accomplished on your own and at your own pace. Upon completing the online portion of the program, you will be issued a two-year national certification in lifeguarding, CPR/AED, and First Aid. All the training materials, including the videos, will remain available to you throughout your two years of certification so that you can refresh your skills at any time. With this blended program, employers assess your skills and encourage you to continue practicing the skills through in-service training.

The skills taught in our national program reflect ECC science and the findings from the United States Lifeguard Standards Coalition Report. Our training programs can be taken anywhere and are utilized by individuals, schools, universities, and community pools both here in the United States and abroad. Over the years, the ALA has been listed on the CDC Healthy Swimming website. In addition, the U.S. Department of Labor and the General Service Administration (GSA) have determined that the ALA offers lifeguard certification programs similar to those provided by the American Red Cross.

Lifeguard training is essential for the safety of swimmers everywhere, not just in the USA. ALA offers comprehensive lifeguard courses for everyone, from professional lifeguards to general aquatic facility attendants. These courses include knowledge of water rescues, CPR/AED training, injury support care, spinal injury management, emergency response protocol, and more.

We offer lifeguarding, CPR, and First Aid programs year-round, in addition to many other aquatic-related courses throughout the USA and virtually worldwide. We also focus on providing emergency management services through workshops, seminars, and conferences. Lifeguards play a vital role in any aquatic environment, especially when beaches and pools reach high visitor volumes during busy seasons. Lifeguard training is key to keeping everyone safe while having fun.

We provide lifeguard courses at various locations across the USA including, but not limited to: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. The ALA also focuses on providing emergency management services through workshops, seminars, and conferences. 

Lifeguards are needed at beaches, public pools, water parks, hotels, city facilities, children’s camps, resorts, and spas worldwide. Lifeguarding is a professional career, and ALA is ready to assist you with training and certification. Our lifeguards are extensively trained in lifeguarding, CPR, and First Aid. ALA’s lifeguard courses focus on the latest water safety techniques, as well as CPR, AED, and injury support care. With our help, you’ll be prepared in emergency situations.

Lifeguard Certification – Lifeguard Certification involves more than just knowledge of rescue procedures; it includes physical requirements such as strength and endurance testing, as well as practical application skills. The ALA Lifeguard Certification is designed to help lifeguards develop the necessary skills for working in aquatic environments. This certification includes Lifeguarding, CPR/AED, and First Aid Training.

CPR/AED and First Aid – This course will teach you how to respond quickly and effectively in an emergency through both CPR and AED instruction, as well as First Aid. Lifeguards are trained on how to assess situations and respond to emergencies. Through our program, lifeguards learn life-saving techniques that may only take a few minutes to potentially save a life.

Swimming Pool Operators Course– This class teaches swimming and management skills for managing a pool. Individuals are taught how to properly perform duties, provide quality safety measures, prevent injuries, and save lives. The pool operators course is specifically designed with the pool supervisor in mind, who is responsible for the overall operation of swimming pools. This management course will significantly increase one’s ability to handle potential problems before they escalate, improving safety at your facility and around the community.