How old do you have to be to work as a lifeguard?

Question

Justin Parker · Accepted Answer

You have to be at least 15 or 16 years old in most states to work as a lifeguard. However, some states and employers might have a strict age policy of 18 years of age for lifeguard candidates. In most cases though, lifeguard certification is available to people who are at least 15 or 16 years old. Lifeguard certification is also mandatory to work as a lifeguard.

There are also certain lifeguard-related certifications in which you have to be a specific age. Here is a common example:

A Water Safety Instructor (WSI) certification is a certification in the field of safety aquatics that proves an individual has skills in water safety, teaching swimming, and hydrodynamics. The WSI certification is administered by the American Red Cross.

Here are some of the key areas of focus for a WSI certification:

Aquatic safety at public pools, residential pools, and natural bodies of water, like oceans, rivers, lakes, and others
Knowledge of the Circle of Drowning Prevention
Knowledge of the Chain of Drowning Survival