Before lifeguards are able to sit in the chair and actually guard the pool, they have to be trained on all the life saving skills. For Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation Aquatics, it starts with a screening class.
Potential lifeguards are tested by swimming 300 yards and treading water for two minutes. One of the guards Eleanor Sharp went through this training and was hired by the county earlier this year.
“You have to be able to swim a long time because you’re in the pool for the entire training,” she said. “You start off by doing 12 laps in the pool.”
Then once aspiring guards pass the screening course, they are able to go through the actual lifeguard training class. Then, they go through the interview process. Future guards can sign up for these sessions on the website.