The City of Reno Aquatics department offers a variety of training including Lifeguarding, Lifeguard Instructor (LGI), and CPR/First Aid classes for the general public.
City of Reno Lifeguarding classes provide participants the knowledge and skills to prevent, recognize, and respond to emergencies in aquatics environments and to provide care for breathing and cardiac emergencies, injuries, and sudden illnesses until EMS personnel take over.
Upon successful completion of the class, participants will earn an American Red Cross Lifeguarding certification which includes Lifeguarding and CPR/AED & First Aid for Professional Rescuers. The certification is valid from 2 years of completion.
Participants must attend all classes within the selected session.
Prerequisites
- Must be 15 years of age by final scheduled session
- Complete a swim-tread-swim sequence without stopping to rest:
- Jump into the water and then swim 150 yards using front crawl, breaststroke or a combination of both.
- Maintain position at the surface of the water for 2 minutes by treading water using only the legs.
- Swim 50 yards using the front crawl, breaststroke or a combination of both.
- Complete a timed event within 1 minute, 40 seconds:
- 20 yard swim
- Surface dive to a depth of 10 feet to retrieve a 10-pound object
- Return to the surface and swim on the back to return to the starting point
- Exit the water without using a ladder or steps
Class Fees
- $140.00 Blended Learning (Combines online lecture and in-class training)
Join our team and we'll certify you for FREE! You must be an onboarded employee by the class start date. Apply online!
Location
2026 Session Dates
The dates specified below are the in-person meeting dates for each session. Each class is "blended learning" which means they meet in-person for approximately 25-26 hours with an additional 8 hours of online learning that must be completed. To be certified, participants must be able to attend all dates in a class session.
September 2026
In-person meeting dates:
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Saturday, September 19 from 9am-3:30pm
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Sunday, September 20 from 9am-3:30pm
- Saturday, September 26 from 9am-3:30pm
- Sunday, September 27 from 9am-3:30pm
October 2026
In-person meeting dates:
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Monday, October 5 from 9am-3:30pm
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Tuesday, October 6 from 9am-3:30pm
- Wednesday, October 7 from 9am-3:30pm
- Thursday, October 8 from 9am-3:30pm
October 2026
In-person meeting dates:
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Saturday, October 17 from 9am-3:30pm
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Sunday, October 18 from 9am-3:30pm
- Saturday, October 24 from 9am-3:30pm
- Sunday, October 25 from 9am-3:30pm
November 2026
In-person meeting dates:
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Saturday, November 14 from 9am-3:30pm
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Sunday, November 15 from 9am-3:30pm
- Saturday, November 21 from 9am-3:30pm
- Sunday, November 22 from 9am-3:30pm
December 2026
In-person meeting dates:
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Monday, December 21 from 9am-3:30pm
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Tuesday, December 22 from 9am-3:30pm
- Wednesday, December 23 from 9am-3:30pm
- Thursday, December 24 from 9am-3:30pm
This is a recertification class for those that hold a currently valid American Red Cross Lifeguarding Certification. You may also take the course if you certification has expired in the last 30 days. The prerequisites for the class are the same as the Lifeguarding class, listed above.
Class fee
$124.00
Location
2026 Session Dates
The dates specified below are the in-person meeting dates for each session. Each class is "blended learning" which means they meet in-person for approximately 12 hours with an additional 8 hours of online learning that must be completed. To be certified, participants must be able to attend all dates in a class session.
September 2026
In-person meeting dates:- Saturday, September 12 from 10am-4pm
October 2026
In-person meeting dates:
- Saturday, October 3 from 10am-4pm
November 2026
In-person meeting dates:- Saturday, November 7 from 10am-4pm
December 2026
In-person meeting dates:
- Saturday, December 5 from 10am-4pm
Prerequisites
- Must be at least 17 years of age by final scheduled session
- Must have a currently valid American Red Cross Lifeguarding, CPR/AED, and First Aid certificate.
- Must complete prerequisite skills scenarios according to Red Cross standards.
Location
- Varies
Class Fees
- $275.00 for the general public
Session Dates
Please contact Ashley at [email protected] to be put on our LGI interest list or inquire about upcoming offerings. One class is typically offered in the spring and one in the fall depending on interest.
Lifeguard Instructor (LGI) Review Class
No offerings at this time. Check back!
The American Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED program is designed to help participants recognize and respond appropriately to cardiac, breathing and first aid emergencies. This program teaches participants the knowledge and skills needed to give immediate care to an injured or ill person when minutes matter, and to decide whether advanced medical care is needed. Certification is for Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED and is valid for two years from certification date.
Prerequisites
- All ages are welcome, must be able to perform chest compressions adequately
Class Fees
- $60.00
Location
Session Dates
The dates specified below are the in-person meeting dates for each session.
September 2026
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Wednesday, September 2 from 4pm-8pm
October 2026
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Wednesday, October 7 from 4pm-8pm
November 2026
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Wednesday, November 4 from 4pm-8pm
December 2026
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Wednesday, December 2 from 4pm-8pm
This American Red Cross course prepares youth ages 11-16 to safely and confidently care for children and infants. The course covers feeding, diapering, picking up and holding children, safety, and emergency response. Certification is valid for 10 years.
Prerequisites
- Ages 11-16
Class Fee
- $60
Location
2026 Session Dates
The dates specified below are the in-person meeting dates for each session.
September 2026
- Wednesday, September 16 from 4pm-7:30pm
October 2026
- Wednesday, October 21 from 4pm-7:30pm
November 2026
- Wednesday, November 18 from 4pm-7:30pm
December 2026
- Wednesday, December 16 from 4pm-7:30pm
This American Red Cross course is an in-water safety skills session for USA swim coaches, or to satisfy the coaching requirements required by a national governing body. Online coursework is required to be complete prior to in person meeting dates. Certification is valid for 2 years.
Prerequisites
- Ages 15 and older
Class Fee
- $50
Location
2026 Session Dates
The dates specified below are the in-person meeting dates for each session.
September 2026
- Wednesday, September 2 from 3pm-4pm
October 2026
- Wednesday, October 7 from 3pm-4pm
November 2026
- Wednesday, November 4 from 3pm-4pm
December 2026
- Wednesday, December 2 from 3pm-4pm
Please check back for up-to-date info, or email [email protected] to be put on a contact list for classes. If you would like to work for the City of Reno, please apply for employment online at Job Openings.