Frequently Aasked Questions

Candidates who are under the age of 13 years old will need to begin their lifeguarding/lifesaving courses at the Bronze Star level. However, candidates over the age of 13 can directly go ahead and begin with the Bronze Medallion training. Our Academy offers a number of different combination courses to tailor to every student's learning regardless of age, fitness level and previous experience.

Bronze Star is recommended only to participants who are under the age of 13.

We always suggest our candidates that need help determining if a course is right for you by taking a look at the physical requirements of each course. If you're still unsure, candidates are recommended to practise some of the required physicals (i.e: timed swim, etc) to gain a better understanding of where they sit in regards to the suitability of each course.

Please note: Our courses do not require participants to hold any previous training (except their prerequisites), nor prior preparation to the course. All of our instructors have proven to be excellent at preparing you to achieve success. 

Our courses cover the complete curriculum of Bronze Medallion and Bronze Cross that is suggested by the Lifesaving Society. Click on each link to be taken to the Society's website and see the complete list of the items for each course.

Bronze Medallion is the first required certification in the lifesaving process where candidates gain an understanding of lifesaving principles and are introduced to water rescue education. Candidates who are successful then move onto the Bronze Cross level to learn further advanced training in deep water. 

All of our combination courses are tailored to best suit your needs and work in the favour of your advantage! Our courses and programs vary in learning style, age, certification level, and pace in course. To find out which course is most suitable for you, please take a moment to read our course description or contact us to discuss course options.

Our package courses offer a discounted price to candidates who are in need of taking multiple certifications! Depending on your course, combined courses also offer an advantage to course material and length of your course. 

Candidates must have both Bronze Medallion and First Aid (either Emergency or Standard) in order to obtain their Bronze Cross certification.

Candidates who wish to obtain their Bronze Cross are recommended to take either their Emergency First Aid & CPB or Standard First Aid & CPR C. While there are no prerequisites in regards to qualifications to take Bronze Medallion, the next certifications that come after your Bronze Medallion will require you to have one of these levels of First Aid. This will also come in handy in your course as there will be components of your Bronze Medallion that will incorporate first aid content. 

Candidates are suggested to combine their Bronze Cross with Standard First Aid & CPR C if they are looking to become lifeguards as it is a prerequisite in your future course. However, they are more than welcome to separate their courses as well. 

Standard First Aid is a higher level course that incorporates all of the Emergency First Aid material and builds a further comprehensive training and coverage of all first aid and CPR aspects. We recommend students who wish to become lifeguards to directly take Standard First Aid instead of Emergency First Aid.

Lifeguarding Academy wants to see every student succeed! All of our programs and courses are run under our Academy Guarantee. Candidates who are unsuccessfull have the chance to retake the entire course or just the exam for 50% off!

Both Bronze Medallion and Cross certifications are valid for only 2 years. Candidates who wish to move onto the next level of their course do not need to have their qualifications current in order to do so. This means that a recertification course is not necessary to move on the next step.

Most organizations do not employ candidates who only hold a Bronze Cross certification and are under the age of 16. However, if you are over the age of 16, there are a few camps and organizations that may hire candidates with their Bronze Cross only. 

Candidates do not need to recertify their Bronze Cross in order to move onto the next level of their course. However, if you are required to recertify your Bronze Cross for employment purposes, you may do so here. 

A Bronze Medallion/Cross challenge exam allows a candidate the opportunity to complete the examination portion of their course instead of the full course. Challenge exams are normally can be requested for many reasons, including but not limited to:

-They hold equivalent training (e.g. Canadian Coast Guard).
-They hold a lifesaving or lifeguarding certification from another country.
-They were previously unsuccessful in a Bronze course and want to re-examine.
-They require a current Bronze award for employment.