NARS Beach Lifeguard Awards
Lifeguarding is one of life's most rewarding jobs. These awards are a prerequisite for working with the RNLI on most of the UK beaches. The Beach Lifeguard Award is also needed should you wish to train as a surf instructor. The NARS Beach Lifeguard Award is internationally recognised as one the most comprehensive lifeguard courses in the world.
The courses are based at Harlyn Bay in North Cornwall, accommodation can be arranged on request. The course is run over five days with an examination day on the Saturday.
Candidates must have a good level of fitness and be able to swim 400m in under seven and a half minutes. They must also be able to run 200m in under forty seconds. People wishing to use the qualification solely for surf coaching are only required to swim 400m in under nine and a half minutes and run 200m in under a minute.
Beach Lifeguard Course Details
The five-day course will run from Monday through to Friday with the examination on the Saturday. It is not essential, but having basic board skills and knowledge of beach and ocean environments will help. The cost of the course is £275 and this includes your NARS beach lifeguard manual. The course will be run from our town base overlooking Towan beach. The NARS Beach Lifeguard Award is valid for three years from the date of examination. We encourage students to continue training through a local SLSA surf life saving club. Free membership to your local club will give you the opportunity to attend weekly surf life saving training sessions, and give you access to equipment and social events. You will also be eligible to compete in surf life saving events.
Beach Lifeguard Course Topics
- Lifeguard signals test
- Run test (see above)
- Pool test (see above)
- Tube rescue
- Board rescue
- Demonstrate deep water EAV
- Two man drag
- CPR adult, child and baby
- First aid questions
- Spinal Injury management
- Worksheet questions
Dates
September 8th - 13th 2008
More dates to come.
About the SLSA
Surf Life Saving originated in Australia in the early 1900s, when the growth of seaside towns and interest in swimming led to a number of drownings. Patrols were formed by local residents, living close by beaches with strong currents, alerting people to the dangers of the surf.
The Surf Life Saving Association of Great Britain (SLSA GB) was formed in 1955. Volunteer clubs patrolled beaches at Bude and St Agnes in Cornwall and Brighton, their aim to protect, rescue and resuscitate bathers.
There are now 60+ Surf Life Saving Clubs affiliated to the Association, with thousands of members aged from 7 – 70 years.
During the last 50 years, well over 20,000 rescues have been made on our beaches by lifeguards, most of whom have come from the volunteer ranks of the Surf Life Saving Clubs where they learnt their patrolling and rescue skills.
For more information, please view the SLSA Website.
