The state is working to recruit lifeguards for the summer and will be offering free lifeguard classes for people interested in working for the Connecticut state park system.
To recruit lifeguards for the eight Connecticut State Park guarded beaches, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection will offer American Red Cross Lifeguarding classes at no cost.
Participants must successfully complete prerequisites and attend all days of the class to complete the certification, which can only be used to work as a lifeguard at Connecticut state parks.
“While summer is months away, the process to finding and training lifeguards to protect our beach visitors is well underway. These classes are designed to train people interested in working as a lifeguard at one of our State Park beaches, and who may not be in a position to pay for the certification themselves,” DEEP Deputy Commissioner Susan Whalen said in a statement. “We hope this new approach will assist our recruiting efforts to have full lifeguard squads at each of our lifeguarded beaches.”
DEEP is offering a Lifeguarding with Waterfront Module class for people who have no current certification and a Lifeguarding with Waterfront Module Review class for guards who already have a certification that will expire before next summer.
You must be at least 16 by May 25 to be a lifeguard or 18 to be a lifeguard supervisor.
Hours of work for lifeguards are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. five days per week and weekends and holidays are mandatory.
Local
Following are the training schedules:
Lifeguarding with Waterfront Module Review Class:
- Thursday, Dec. 27, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Friday, Dec. 28, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Saturday, Dec, 29, from 12:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Lifeguarding with Waterfront Module Class:
- Thursday, Dec. 27, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Friday, Dec. 28, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Saturday, Dec. 29, from 12:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Sunday, Dec. 30 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The training location is at Woodrow Wilson Middle School at 1 Wilderman's Way in Middletown.
To register, contact Sarah Battistini at sarah.battistini@ct.gov or call 860-418-5958.
Lifeguards cover eight of the state parks beaches and you can apply online here:
- Black Rock State Park in Watertown
- Burr Pond State Park in Torrington
- Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison
- Indian Well State Park in Shelton
- Rocky Neck State Park in East Lyme
- Sherwood Island State Park in Westport
- Silver Sands State Park in Milford
- Squantz Pond State Park in New Fairfield
