USA Swimming Coaches Safety Curriculum:
Requirements & Equivalents

Effective since 1988, all coach members are required to fulfill safety training requirements as established by the USA Swimming Board of Directors. USA Swimming currently requires coach members to hold current certification cards for the following: Safety Training for Swim Coaches, CPR, and First Aid.

Note: ARC/USOC Sport Safety Training is recommended by USA Swimming because of its coaching specific content and materials. This course includes Adult CPR, fulfilling both the first aid and CPR requirements for coach membership.

Safety Training For Swim Coaches

Any one of the following courses will satisfy this requirement. All American Red Cross STSC certifications are valid for three years.

American Red Cross (NO ARC instructor certifications are acceptable)

• Safety Training for Swim Coaches (8 hours)
• Safety Training for Swim Coaches Review Course (4 hours)
• Lifeguarding (31 hours; includes CPR & first aid components)
• Lifeguarding/Waterfront (37 hours; includes CPR & first aid components)
• Lifeguarding/Waterpark (33 hours; includes CPR & first aid components)
• Not Acceptable: ARC Sport Safety Training, WSI

American Lifeguard Association

• Lifeguarding (includes CPR-PR & First Aid)
  Three options: First Time Lifeguard, Professional Lifeguard Challenge, Lifeguard Recertification

Ellis & Associates

• International Lifeguard Training (one-year certification; includes first aid & CPR component)
• International Lifeguard Training Instructor License (12-18 month certification)

YMCA Lifeguarding

StarGuard

 

UPDATE: (April 8, 2008)

For the 2009 membership year (which begins September 1, 2008), the following certifications will be acceptable for the Safety Training for Swim Coach requirement:

• 1) ARC Safety Training for Swim Coaches certification (valid for 3 years)

- OR -

• 2) Email confirmation from the ARC that the individual has passed the Safety Training for Swim Coaches online exam, ALONG WITH one of the following certifications:

a. ARC Lifeguarding, Lifeguarding/Waterfront, Lifeguarding/Waterpark, Basic Water Rescue, or Shallow Water Attendant
b. American Lifeguard Association First Time Lifeguard, Professional Lifeguard Challenge, or Lifeguard Recertification
c. Ellis and Associates International Lifeguard Training or International Lifeguard Training Instructor License
d. StarGuard
e. YMCA Lifeguarding

For Option #2, the expiration date shall be the earliest expiration date on either the ARC email (valid for 3 years) or the lifeguard certification.

Coaches are grandfathered and will not have to meet these new requirements until their current Safety Training certification expires.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

Any one of the following courses will satisfy this requirement.

American Red Cross (All American Red Cross CPR certifications are valid for one year)

• Adult CPR (4 hours)
• Adult CPR/AED
• Adult, Child and Infant CPR (6.5 hours)
• CPR/AED - Adult, Child and Infant
• CPR for the Professional Rescuer (9 hours)
• CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer
• Not Acceptable: ARC instructor certification, Workplace CPR, WSI. Certifications from foreign Red Cross chapters.

American Heart Association (All American Heart Association CPR certifications are valid for two years)

• ACLS Provider (8-16 hours)
• Healthcare Provider (6-8 hours)
• Any AHA Basic Life Support Instructor or Instructor Trainee for the courses listed above
• Not Acceptable: AHA Heartsaver CPR or Heartsaver AED

American Lifeguard Association

• CPR-PR
• Community CPR

American Safety and Health Institute (ASHI)

• CPR Pro
• CPR/AED for the Community and Workplace (two-year certification)

National Safety Council (National Safety Council CPR certifications are valid for one or two years, depending on the training agency)

• Adult CPR & AED
• Standard First Aid, CPR & AED (includes First Aid component)

Ellis & Associates

• Water Safety+ (4 hours; includes First Aid component)
• International Lifeguard Training (one year certification; includes first aid component)
• International Lifeguard Training Instructor License (12-18 month certification)

Courses Offered by Other Organizations

• AAOS (Amer Acad of Orthopaedic Surgeons) Emergency Care & Safety Institute CPR (two year certification)
• California State Lifeguard
• Medic First Aid (includes First Aid component).
  Note: Coach must submit a scored written test signed by the instructor.
• EMS Safety Services CPR
• EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) Basic (includes First Aid component)
• Paramedic
• Save-A-Life Educators CPR
• StarGuard
• Tacoma Fire Department First Aid & CPR (includes First Aid component)
• University Training Centers, Inc. - Healthcare Provider BLS(C)

First Aid

Any one of the following courses will satisfy this requirement:

American Red Cross (All American Red Cross first aid certifications are valid for three years. When the course includes a CPR component, a separate CPR card will be issued. No ARC instructor certifications are acceptable.)

• ARC/USOC Sport Safety Training (7 hours; includes CPR component)
• Sports Injury Prevention and First Aid (7 hours; includes CPR component)
• First Aid - Responding to Emergencies (23 hours; includes CPR component)
• First Aid Basics
  Note: Course discontinued. This course will NOT be acceptable as of 7/15/08.
• Emergency Response (43 hours; includes CPR component)
• Lifeguard Training (40 hours; includes CPR component)
• Standard First Aid
• Not Acceptable: ARC instructor certification, Workplace First Aid, WSI. Certifications from foreign Red Cross chapters.

National Safety Council (National Safety Council first aid certifications are valid for 2-3 years, depending on the training agency)

• First Aid
• Standard First Aid, CPR & AED (includes CPR component)

Ellis & Associates

• Water Safety+ (4 hours; includes CPR component)
• International Lifeguard Training (one-year certification; includes CPR component)
• International Lifeguard Training Instructor License (12-18 month certification)

First Aid Courses Offered by Other Organizations

• AAOS (Amer Acad of Orthopaedic Surgeons) Emergency Care & Safety Institute First Aid
• American Lifeguard Association First Aid
• ASHI (American Safety & Health Institute) Basic First Aid (4 hours)
• California State Lifeguard
• Medic First Aid (includes CPR component)
  Note: Coach must submit a scored written test signed by the instructor.
• EMS Safety Services First Aid
• EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) Basic (includes CPR component)
• Paramedic
• Save-A-Life Educators First Aid
• StarGuard
• Tacoma Fire Department First Aid & CPR (includes CPR component)
• University Training Centers, Inc. - Standard First Aid
• Life Education of Florida - First Aid for All Ages: A Common Sense Approach
• Not Acceptable: American Heart Association Heartsaver First Aid

Revised April 8, 2008