Rookie Lifeguard

Our Rookie Lifeguard programme is our popular, fun and educational junior award scheme for all 10 to 15-year-olds. For most children Rookie Lifeguard will be the first opportunity to explore water safety and learn valuable life skills.
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Rookie Lifeguard skills make Rookies aware of how to take care of themselves, their family and friends and give them the information they need to promote water safety in their day-to-day activities. The awards contain survival, rescue and sports skills as well as life support and water safety elements – all delivered in a fun and exciting way making it a great addition to swimming lessons or progression from them.

Rookie Lifeguard is aimed at children aged 10 to 15 years although most of the skills can be taught to people of all ages. Starting with Stage 1 of the Bronze Award and progressing through to Stage 3 of the Gold Award, Rookie Lifeguard begins at an ability level suitable for swimmers who have just learned to swim and progresses to the level of performing lifesaving tows.

The Rookie lifeguard is run in conjunction with the RLSS (Royal Lifesaving Society) and is taught by a qualified swim teacher and lifeguard who has been trained as a Rookie Lifeguard Instructor.
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BRONZE STAGE ONE
  1. Demonstrate a non-panicking casualty.
  2. Demonstrate a panicking casualty.
  3. Demonstrate an unconscious casualty.
  4. Enter shallow water safely and confidentially.
  5. Swim front crawl or breaststroke continuously for 25M.
  6. Tread water for 1 minute, use your arms to occasionally call for help.
  7. Swim lifesaving backstroke continuously for 25M.
  8. Holding a buoyant aid, use any leg kick to move 15M.
  9. Using a buoyant aid, hold the HELP position for 1 minute.
  10. Climb out of deep water without using the steps.
BRONZE STAGE TWO
  1. Demonstrate a shout and signal rescue of a casualty 5M away.
  2. Using a buoyant aid, demonstrate a throwing rescue of a casulaty 5M away.
  3. Enter deep water safely and confidently.
  4. Wearing clothing, swim freestyle continuously for 50M.
  5. Treading water for 1 minute; Use your arms occasionally to signal for help, the turn around 180 degrees.
  6. Swim lifesaving backstroke continuously for 50M.
  7. Whilst floating on your back, scull head first for 10M.
  8. Using a buoyant aid, hold the help position for 2 minutes.
  9. Holding a buoyant aid, use any leg to move 25M to the poolside.
  10. Climb out of deep water without using the steps.
BRONZE STAGE THREE
  1. Demonstrate a reaching rescue of a casualty 2M away.
  2. Demonstrate a rope throw rescue of a casualty 8M away (coil, throw and rescue).
  3. Enter shallow water and wade to a casualty 5M away, then; throw a buoyant aid to the casualty, instruct the casualty to kick their legs to the side and to climb out of the water without using the steps.
  4. Enter deep water safely and confidently, then swim freestyle continously for 50M.
  5. Tread water for 1 minute using your arms to signal for help every 30 seconds, then: Move 2M backwards, move 2M to the right & 2M to the left.
  6. Swim head-up lifesaving backstroke continuously for 50M, then use a buoyant aid hold the HELP position for 2 minutes 30 seconds.
  7. Remove additional clothing whilst in the water.
  8. Whilst floating on your back, scull head first for 15M, then scull feet first for 15M.
  9. Perform a feet first surface dive and swim underwater for 5M.
  10. Climb-out of deep water without using the steps.
SILVER STAGE ONE
  1. Using a buoyant aid, demonstrate a throwing rescue of a casualty 5M away.
  2. Demonstrate a reaching rescue of a casualty 2M away.
  3. Demonstrate a rope rescue of a casualty 8M away (coil, throw and rescue).
  4. Enter shallow water and wade to a casualty 5M away, then; 
    1. Reach out to the casualty using an aid.
    2. Walk towards the poolside, towing the casualty and giving them instructions and reassurance.
  5. Help the casualty to climb out of shallow water using the stirrup lift.
  6. Enter deep water safely and confidently.
  7. Swim freestyle continuously for 100M.
  8. Tread water for 1 minute and 30 seconds using your arms to signal for help every 30 seconds, then;
    1. Move 2M backwards.
    2. Move 2M to the right.
    3. Move 2 M to the left.
  9. Swim head-up freestyle for 10M to a buoyant aid. Using the buoyant aid to hold the help position for 2 minutes.
  10. Remove additional clothing whilst in the water.
  11. Perform a feet first surface dive and recover and object from a depth of 1M.
  12. Climb out of deep water without using the steps.
SILVER STAGE TWO
  1. Demonstrate a reaching rescue of a casualty 2M away.
  2. Using a buoyant aid, demonstrate a throwing rescue of a casualty 8M away.
  3. Demonstrate a rope rescue of a casualty 10M away (coil, throw and rescue).
  4. Enter shallow water and wade to a casualty 8M away, then; 
    1. Reach out to the casualty using an aid.
    2. Walk towards the poolside, towing the casualty and giving them instructions and reassurance.
  5. Help the casualty to climb out of shallow water using the stirrup lift.
  6. Swim 50M on your front, during which perform 1 feet first surface dive and 1 head first surface dive to recover an object from a depth of 1M.
  7. Enter deep water using a straddle entry.
  8. Swim continuously on front for 150M (minimum 25M on front adn 25M on back).
  9. Tread water for 2 minutes using your arms to signal for help every 30 seconds, then;
    1. Move 5M backwards.
    2. Move 5M to the right.
    3. Move 5M to the left.
  10. Swim head-up and on your front continuously for 20M.
  11. Remove additional clothing whilst in the water.
  12. Climb out of deep water without using the steps.
SILVER STAGE THREE
  1. Using a buoyant aid, demonstrate a throwing rescue of a casualty 8M away.
  2. Demonstrate a rope rescue of a casualty 10M away in less than 45 seconds (coil, throw and rescue).
  3. ​Enter shallow water and wade to a casualty 10M away, then; 
    1. Throw a buoyant aid to the casualty.
    2. Instruct the casualty to kick their legs to the side and to climb out of the water without using the steps.
  4. Enter shallow water and wade to a casualty 10M away, then; 
    1. Reach out to the casuistry using the pole.
    2. Walk towards the poolside, towing the casualty and giving them instructions and reassurance.
    3. Place the casualty in the support position.
  5. Help the casualty to climb out of shallow water using the stirrup lift.
  6. In shallow water turn an unconscious casualty to a face-up position, then;
    1. walk towards the poolside, towing the casualty and shouting for help.
  7. Using initiative rescue 1 casualty in difficulty up to 5M away.
  8. Demonstrate a fall-in entry into clear deep water.
  9. Swim freestyle continuously for 200M in less than 10 minutes (100M on front and 100M on back).
  10. Tread water for 3 minutes, shouting and signalling for help every 30 seconds.
  11. Remove additional clothing whilst in the water.
  12. Swim 100M on your front, during which perform 2 feet first surface dives and 2 head first surface dives to recover an object from a depth of 1M. Climb out of deep water without using the steps.
UPON COMPLETEION OF GOLD STAFES 1, 2 & 3 ROOKIES SHOULD BE ABLE TO:
  • Coil and throw a rope to a casualty and pull to the side.
  • Swim 400M continuously in clothing.
  • Demonstrate Lifesaving Backstroke, Sidestroke, Breaststroke or Front Crawl.
  • Tread water, removing clothing then swim 50M.
  • Climb out of deep water unaided.
  • Demonstrate fall-in, compact jump or shallow dive.
  • Demonstrate a Reverse.
  • Demonstrate a Standoff.
  • Rescue an unconscious casualty at depth in less than 2 minutes 30 seconds.
  • Demonstrate supported rescue breathing whilst waiting for help.
  • Demonstrate the support position.
  • Demonstrate non-contact rescues.
  • Treat for shock.
  • Hand signals.
  • Using any recognised competitive stroke, swim 400M continuously, in less than 12 minutes.
Life Support
This introductory award looks at emergency treatments of causalities.  It includes CPR, dealing with an unconscious casualty, choking, shock, bleeding and vomiting.

Winter Safety
A work activity book teaching you how to keep yourself, friends and family safe around water, when the weather turns chilly and new dangers appear.
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Water Safety 
This award is a fun way to learn how to enjoy the water and keep yourself, friends and family, safe around water. You’ll learn all about the WATER SAFETY Code and explore different water dangers you could find at the pool, beach and even in your own home.

Rookie Lifeguard