Parks and Recreation department offering lifeguard training

The Wrangell parks and recreation department is offering lifeguard training, starting on Jan. 10. The courses are open to all eligible candidates over the age of 16. Those wishing to participate must pass a few tests. The first test is a 300 yard swim, either a front crawl or a breaststroke. Second, participants must be able to tread water for two minutes continuously with only their legs. The third test requires swimmers to swim 20 yards, dive underwater to retrieve a 10 lb. brick, return to the surface, and swim back while holding the brick on their chest. All of the three tests must be completed in two minutes.

“It’s fairly interactive,” said Kate Thomas, with the parks and rec department. “There’s some lecturing, but most of the class will be practical.”

The lifeguard training is known as a “blended learning course,” meaning that there are online classes, as well. The online portion of the training must be complete before the first day of class, on Jan. 10. After signing up for the classes, participants will be emailed a link to the online course. Participants will also be required to download an electronic lifeguard manual, which can be found on the parks and rec website. Once the online course is complete, participants must bring a certificate of achievement to their first day on in-person training.

“There’s about five to seven hours of online course work,” Thomas said, explaining that the online work helped cut down on lecture time in class.

Registration is open until Jan. 6. The course is free, and the parks and rec department is looking to hire certified lifeguards once the course is complete. To apply, visit the parks and rec website or stop by the office at the community pool. More information about the training, what to bring to class, and how to apply can be found at http://www.wrangellrec.com in the “programs” tab under “register.”