Lifeguard Re-Certification

                                   

So Saturday I got re-certified as a lifeguard through the American Red Cross. I decided that I wanted to re-certify for several reasons. The biggest is to have a little extra income this summer (other than what I am already making as an Assistant Swim Team Coach) to save for my Disney College Program this fall!! Another is so that I get some more experience as a lifeguard before I am one this fall during my DCP. Also, it helped me know that I am prepared to be a lifeguard for Disney.

Going into the re-certification class I was really nervous about remembering everything and how to properly do it. I knew deep down I would be just fine and everything would go smoothly, but that didn't help calm my irrational nerves. However, despite my nerves everything went great like I knew it really would! I was able to breeze through the re-certification requirements.

For the American Red Cross swim tests I had to do:

•a 300 yard swim test- 100 freestyle/American crawl, 100 breast stroke, 100 freestyle/American crawl in that order without stopping

•the brick test- swim 20 yards, retrieve a 10 pound brick-equivalent to a hundred pound person in the water- from 10 ft deep water, and swimming the brick back carrying it with both hands on your chest while on your back within a minute and forty seconds(which is way more than enough time to do it in)

•a two minute no hands water treading

I also was able to successfully and effectively demonstrate all of the proper techniques for lifeguard saves/rescues, CPR, AED, and First Aid without any trouble. Plus I passed the written test without missing a single question.

So I re-certified through  American Red Cross, but for Disney we have to certify through another group called Ellis. The swim tests that you take the night of check-in consists of (from what I have gathered from others) is:

•a 200 yard swim- 100 less than the American Red Cross!

•a brick test- retrieving a brick from about 8ft using a feet first surface dive (basically the same as the American Red Cross only I am not sure if Ellis has a time limit for this like the Red Cross does)

•a two minute tread- exactly what I did Saturday

I am not sure what all of the training sessions will be like in regards of comparison to the American Red Cross ones, but I do know Ellis will be more thorough due to there being water parks, slides, and other added risks to worry about when on duty as a lifeguard at Disney. Even though there are some differences between the two processes, I believe that I will be just fine! :) I finally feel like I will be able to do my DCP role to the best of my ability this fall, and it feels awesome knowing that I am prepared for it!! I am super excited to start my DCP!!!!! Too bad I have 47 days till my check in. It's a good thing my summer is going great and time is flying by! :)

Oh and if any of the information about the swim tests for Ellis is wrong feel free to leave a comment and I will correct it :)