Aquatic Certifications for NYS Bathing Facilities
- Aquatic Certifications for NYS Bathing Facilities is available in Portable Document Format (PDF, 138KB, 2pg.)
Fact Sheet - January 2011
When the State Sanitary Code requires "lifeguard supervision" or a "qualified lifeguard" at a bathing facility, an approved lifeguard certification SPECIFIC to the type of bathing facility is required.
Note:
- All lifeguards are required to possess American Red Cross Basic Life Support for the Professional Rescuer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or a CPR equivalent noted on the CPR fact sheet unless otherwise indicated. All CPR certificates are valid for 1 year from course completion, regardless of the expiration date noted on the card.
- Children's camp lifeguards must be at least 17 years of age, except:
- A maximum of 20% of the required lifeguards on duty may be 16 years of age; and
- Lifeguards for wilderness swimming must be at least 18 years of age.
- Lifeguard certifications shall be valid for the time period specified by the certifying agency, but may not exceed a consecutive 3-year period from course completion.
- Supervising lifeguards must possess at least Supervision Level IIb certification, be at least 18 years old, and have at least 2 seasons of lifeguarding experience.
| STANDARD | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York State Sanitary Code | Subpart 6-1, Section 6-1.31, Swimming Pools Subpart 6-2, Section 6-2.20, Bathing Beaches Subpart 7-2, Section 7-2.5(g), Children's Camps |
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| ACCEPTED COURSES | ||||
| SUPERVISION LEVEL Marked boxes indicate acceptability |
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| Provider | Certification Title | Level 1 Surf |
Level IIb Pool & Beach |
Level IIa Pool Only |
| American Red Cross | Lifeguarding (New 2007) | X | ||
| Waterpark Lifeguarding (New 2007) | X | |||
| Waterfront Lifeguarding (New 2007) | X | X | ||
| American Lifeguard Association
Certificate must state the words "Instructor-Led Course" |
Lifeguarding Instructor-Led Course | X | ||
| Waterpark Lifeguarding Instructor-Led Course | X | |||
| Waterfront Lifeguarding Instructor-Led Course | X | X | ||
| Boy Scouts of America
All certifications are valid for 3 years from date of issuance and card |
Lifeguard | X | X | |
| Aquatics Instructor | X | X | ||
| Breezy Point Cooperative, Inc. | Breezy Point Surf Lifeguard | X | ||
| Cattaraugus County EMS | Cattaraugus County EMS Lifeguard Training Program | X | X | |
| Hamptons Consortium | Hamptons Consortium Surf Lifeguard | X | X | X |
| Ellis & Associates Inc., International Lifeguard Training Program
Separate certificate for CPR is NOT required |
Pool Lifeguard Training | X | ||
| Special Facilities Lifeguard Training | X | |||
| Special Facilities Lifegard Training with Open Water Training
Certificate must indicate completion of open water training |
X | X | ||
| Incorporated Village of Saltaire | Ocean Lifeguard Certificate | X | ||
| Bay Front Lifeguard Certificate | X | |||
| Lindenhurst School District | Lindenhurst School District Surf Lifeguard | X | X | X |
| Nassau County Department of Health | Day Camp Only | X | ||
| Grade 1A | X | |||
| Grade 1B | X | |||
| Grade II | X | X | ||
| Grade III | X | X | X | |
| New York City Department of Parks | Municipal Lifeguard | X | X | X |
| Municipal Lifeguard "pool only" | X | |||
| Royal Life Saving Society, Canada
All certification are valid for 2 years from date of issuance |
National Lifeguard Service Pool | X | ||
| National Lifeguard Service Waterfront | X | |||
| National Lifeguard Service Surf | X | |||
| National Lifeguard Service Waterpark | X | |||
| Starfish Aquatics Institute, Inc.
Certification is valid for 1 year from date of issuance and certificate must specify "Meets NYS Department of Health Regulations" Separate certificate for CPR is NOT required |
StarGuard Best Practices for Lifeguards | X | ||
| StarGuard Best Practices for Lifeguards with Waterfront Speciality Module Training
In "Speciality Module Training" section of Certification Card, "WATERFRONT" Must NOT be Crossed Out |
X | |||
| Suffolk County Department of Parks | Ocean Lifeguard Training | X | ||
| Stillwater Lifeguard Training Course | X | |||
| Town of Babylon | Ocean Lifeguard | X | X | X |
| Stillwater Lifeguard Training Course | X | X | ||
| Town of Brookhaven | Ocean Theory Course | X | X | X |
| Town of East Hampton | Surf Lifeguard | X | X | X |
| Pool and Beach Lifeguard | X | X | ||
| Town of Islip | Surf Lifeguard | X | X | X |
| Pool and Beach Lifeguard | X | X | ||
| Town of Southampton | Ocean Lifeguard | X | X | X |
| Stillwater Lifeguard | X | X | ||
| Village of Ocean Beach | Ocean Beach Atlantic Ocean Lifeguard Course | X | X | X |
| YMCA | YMCA Lifeguard | X | X | |
| Lifeguard | X | X | ||
| SHALLOW WATER CERTIFICATION |
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| Provider | Certification Title | |||
| American Red Cross | Shallow Water Attendant (New 2007) Valid for water depths of 4 feet or less |
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| American Lifeguard Association
Certificate must state the words "Instructor-Lead Course" |
Shallow Water Lifeguard Instructor-Led Course Valid for water depths of 4 feet or less |
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| Ellis & Associates Inc., International Lifeguard Training Program
Separate certificate for CPR is NOT required |
Shallow Water Lifeguard Valid for water depths of 5 feet or less |
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