SAI Hybrid Wilderness LifeGuard

The Hybrid Wilderness LifeGuard program is a cutting edge course designed to meet the needs of wilderness trip leaders with a focus on prevention. This remote application to aquatic rescue courses can be taken alone as a primary training, as an add-on module to the SAI StarGuard® course, or as a module for current lifeguards.

Site assessment, swimmer assessment, and improvising lifeguarding equipment are key components that differentiate this course from traditional waterfront courses.

The Hybrid course combines online education and testing prior to the skills dates.  When students register for the online course, they also choose an orientation and skill date. The online portion becomes available for a week prior to the skills dates and closes the evening of the orientation, which is directly prior to the skills dates. Invitations for the online access are emailed to enrolled students as the course starts.

The skills portion of this course is physical. We’ll start in the classroom for a course orientation and then travel a short distance to one of our lake sites where we will conduct a basic swim skills screening (100 yard swim, and a three minute water tread without hands) and then continue our water skill practice and skills assessments. We will end the skills day with a series of practical exams. Please bring lunch and snacks as well as additional warm clothing. The course will continue outdoors unless the weather becomes hazardous, so please come prepared to be as comfortable as possible for the duration.