Manatee County certifies students in American Red Cross Lifeguarding (Including Deep Water) with CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and First Aid.
Class location may vary between G.T. Bray Aquatic Center and John H. Marble Aquatic Center, and includes four days of class for a Lifeguard Certification, or two days of class for a Re-Certification. To pass each class, all class days must be attended. Students must arrive ready to get in the pool each day, and bring a towel and change of dry clothes. 

How to Register

To register, send an email to [email protected] with the student's name, birthday, phone number, and which class you would like to attend. Please also include the email address of the student if different from the person inquiring.

Prerequisites

All participants must be 15 years of age or older by the last day of class (and 16 years of age or older to work as a Lifeguard for Manatee County).
All participants must pass the following two part Lifeguard Course Prerequisite Swim Test before beginning the course, which is required by the American Red Cross. 

Prerequisite 1: Swim-Tread-Swim Sequence (Without Stopping)

• Jump into the water and totally submerge, resurface, then swim 150 yards using the front crawl and/or breaststroke
• Tread water for 2 minutes using only your legs without stopping
• Swim 50 yards using the front crawl and/or breaststroke

Prerequisite 2: Timed Event (Complete within 1 minute, 40 seconds)

• Starting in the water, swim 20 yards. Surface dive (feet-first or head-first) to a depth of 7-10 feet to retrieve a 10-pound brick. Swim goggles are NOT allowed
• Return to the surface and swim 20 yards on the back to return to the starting point, holding the object at the surface with both hands and keeping the face out or near the surface
• Exit the water without using a ladder or steps

We strongly encourage all applicants to practice the prerequisites before registering for a Lifeguard Class. All Manatee County pools are free to use, and interested students are welcome to practice any time during public swim hours. If you would like to practice with a 10-pound brick or be timed, please speak with any Lifeguard on duty. Once registration is complete and payment has been received, a refund will not be offered to students who are unable to pass the prerequisite swim test.

Fees

• American Red Cross Lifeguard (Including Deep Water) with CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and First Aid: $200.00
• American Red Cross Lifeguard Re-Certification (Including Deep Water) with CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and First Aid: $100.00
• American Red Cross Lifeguard Instructor Certification: $350.00

2026 Lifeguard Class Schedule

All Certification Classes are taught as Blended Learning, and all students will be required to complete an online portion of the class beginning in person instruction. The online portion can be expected to take 7 - 9 hours. Information will be provided upon registration.

Lifeguard Certification Classes

• February Session: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm each day at the G.T. Bray Aquatic Center
  • Saturday, February 14
  • Sunday, February 15
  • Saturday, February 21
  • Saturday, February 22
  • Registration to close Thursday, February 5
• March Session: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm each day at the G.T. Bray Aquatic Center
  • Saturday, March 14
  • Sunday, March 15
  • Saturday, March 21
  • Saturday, March 22
  • Registration to close Thursday, March 5
• April Session: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm each day at the John H. Marble Aquatic Center (subject to facility opening date)
  • Saturday, April 11
  • Sunday, April 12
  • Saturday, April 18
  • Sunday, April 19
  • Registration to close Thursday, April 2
• May Session: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm each day, location to be determined
  • Saturday, May 2: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Sunday, May 3: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Saturday, May 8: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Sunday, May 9: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
  • Registration to close Thursday, April 23

Lifeguard Re-Certification Classes

• January Session #1: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm each day
  • Wednesday, January 14
  • Thursday, January 15
  • Registration to close Friday, January 2
• January Session #2: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm each day
  • Wednesday, January 28
  • Thursday, January 29
  • Registration to close Thursday, January 15

Lifeguard Instructor Classes

• There are no Lifeguard Instructor Classes scheduled at this time. If you are interested in attending a class to be certified or re-certified, please email us at [email protected]