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 only required if the participants plan to take Bronze Medallion before they turn 13. Candidates who are over 13, do not need to have Bronze Star.

We always encourage candidates to review the physical requirements of each course to help determine if it’s the right fit. If you’re still unsure, we recommend practicing some of the required physical components (e.g., timed swims) to better understand your readiness for the course.

Please note: Our courses do not require participants to have any prior training beyond the listed prerequisites, nor is advance preparation necessary. Our instructors are highly skilled and committed to helping you succeed.

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 Basic or Intermediate) in order to obtain their Bronze Cross certification.

Candidates who wish to obtain their Bronze Cross are recommended to take either the "Basic First Aid with CPR-C" or "Intermediate First Aid with CPR C" either before or with their Bronze Medallion. While there are no prerequisites in regards to qualifications to take Bronze Medallion, the next certifications that comes 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 Intermediate First Aid with CPR-C if they are looking to become lifeguards. Intermediate First Aid with CPR-C is a prerequisite for the National Lifeugard course.

Intermediate First Aid is a higher level course that incorporates all of the Basic First Aid course content 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 Intermediate First Aid instead of the Basic First Aid course.

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.