New York Codes, Rules and Regulations
Title 10 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Chapter I - State Sanitary Code
Part 6 - Swimming Pools, Bathing Beaches And Recreational Aquatic Spray Grounds
Subpart 6-1 - Swimming Pools
Operation, Supervision and Maintenance
Section 6-1.31 - Aquatic supervisory skill requirements

Universal Citation: 10 NY Comp Codes Rules and Regs § 6-1.31

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 12, March 26, 2025

The New York State Department of Health is responsible for review of training courses and/or certification programs to determine acceptability.

(a) Supervision Level IIa--pool lifeguard only.

(1) The requirements of this subdivision shall take effect May 15, 1993.

(2) No person shall be qualified under this subdivision unless such person:
(i) has a minimum age of 16 years (15 years is acceptable if employed at a facility where a supervisory lifeguard is present); and

(ii) possesses a current A.R.C. basic life support for the professional rescuer. CPR or equivalent certification; the certification period must not exceed one year; and

(iii) demonstrates a current ability to swim 300 yards nonstop using various strokes in good form; surface dive to minimum nine foot depth and bring a 10 pound object to surface; and tread water for one minute; and

(iv) possesses a current certificate from a recognized certifying agency acceptable to the State Health Commissioner, or has within not more than a consecutive three-year period of time completed a minimum of 15 hours (19 hours if first aid skills are included) of training acceptable to the commissioner covering those items set forth below (time periods do not include final examination time or conditioning swims):

The training course and recertification program will be determined to be acceptable if, after a review, all the materials submitted by the program sponsor are determined to be complete and substantially meet the requirements of this section. Instructors shall have sufficient experience and knowledge in lifeguarding to effectively communicate the subject matter required by this section.

(a) program goals and objectives;

(b) preventive lifeguarding;

(c) victim recognition;

(d) equipment:
(1) rescue (buoys, tubes, reach pole);

(2) lifeguarding;

(3) safety;

(4) personal;

(e) types of emergencies:
(1) life-threatening;

(2) nonlife-threatening;

(f) spinal injury management;

(g) special situations:
(1) hypothermia;

(2) heat emergencies;

(3) seizures;

(h) communication systems;

(i) emergency action plans;

(j) physical fitness concepts;

(k) weather and environmental conditions;

(l) records and reports;

(m) skills practice:
(1) water entry;

(2) approaches;

(3) moving victim to safety;

(4) equipment use (reach poles, buoys, tubes);

(5) surface diving and underwater swimming;

(6) underwater search;

(7) lifts and assists;

(8) reaching assists;

(9) throwing assists;

(10) equipment extension;

(11) rescue breathing with flotation;

(12) rescue breathing without flotation;

(13) defense;

(14) escapes;

(15) multiple victim rescues;

(16) spinal injury, shallow water;

(17) spinal injury, deep water;

(n) first aid and emergency care (possession of a valid American Red Cross standard first aid or equivalent certification may be substituted for this segment):
(1) bleeding and shock;

(2) choking;

(3) temperature extremes;

(4) spinal injuries;

(5) diabetic emergencies;

(6) seizures;

(7) heart attacks and strokes;

(8) fractures, dislocations, sprains and strains;

(9) burns;

(10) eye and nose injuries;

(11) alcohol and drug overdoses;

(v) such person must:
(a) correctly answer at least 80 percent of the questions on a written and/or oral test on theory and knowledge; and

(b) successfully perform/demonstrate skills; and

(c) successfully:
(1) demonstrate knowledge of:
(i) approaches;

(ii) escapes;

(iii) carriers/tows;

(iv) spinal (shallow water) entry, approach, turn and support victim;

(v) spinal (deep water) entry, approach, turn and move victim to poolside or shallow end;

(vi) rescue tube swim/use;

(vii) surface dive and underwater swim.

(b) Supervision Level IIb--pool and beach lifeguard.

(1) The requirements of this subdivision shall take effect on May 15, 1993.

(2) No person shall be qualified under this subdivision unless such person:
(i) has a minimum age of 16 years (15 years is acceptable if a supervisory lifeguard is present); and

(ii) has a current A.R.C. basic life support for the professional rescuer, CPR or equivalent certification; the certification period must not exceed one year; and

(iii) demonstrates a current ability to swim 300 yards nonstop using various strokes in good form; and surface dive to minimum nine foot depth and bring a 10 pound object to surface; and tread water for one minute; and

(iv) possesses a current certification from a recognized certifying agency acceptable to the State Health Commissioner or has within not more than a consecutive three-year period of time, completed a minimum of 20 hours (24 hours if first aid skills are included) of training acceptable to the commissioner covering those items outlined below (time periods do not include final examination time or conditioning swims);

The training course and recertification program will be determined to be acceptable if, after a review, all the materials submitted by the program sponsor are determined to be complete and substantially meet the requirements of this section. Instructors shall have sufficient experience and knowledge in lifeguarding to effectively communicate the subject matter required by this section.

(a) program goals and objectives;

(b) preventive lifeguarding;

(c) victim recognition;

(d) equipment:
(1) rescue (buoys, tubes, reach pole, surf board, backboard, boat, mask, fins, snorkel);

(2) safety/lifeguarding (lifelines, lifeguards stands);

(3) personal (uniform/clothing, whistle, sunglasses, binoculars, sunscreen);

(e) orientation;

(f) in-service training;

(g) types of emergencies:
(1) life-threatening;

(2) nonlife-threatening;

(h) spinal injury management;

(i) special situations:
(1) hypothermia;

(2) heat emergencies;

(3) seizures;

(j) communication systems;

(k) emergency action plans;

(l) waterfront areas;

(m) search and recovery equipment and operations;

(n) physical fitness concepts;

(o) weather and environmental conditions;

(p) records and reports;

(q) first aid and emergency care (possession of a valid American Red Cross standard first aid or equivalent certification may be substituted for this segment):
(1) bleeding and shock;

(2) choking;

(3) temperature extremes;

(4) spinal injuries;

(5) diabetic emergencies;

(6) seizures;

(7) heart attacks and strokes;

(8) fractures, dislocations, sprains and strains;

(9) burns;

(10) eye and nose injuries;

(11) alcohol and drug overdoses;

(r) skills practice:
(1) water entry;

(2) moving victim to safety;

(3) equipment use (buoys, tubes, rescue board, back board, boat, mask, fins, snorkel);

(4) surface dive and underwater swimming;

(5) underwater search;

(6) search and recovery;

(7) lifts and assists;

(8) throwing assists;

(9) reaching assists;

(10) equipment extension;

(11) rescue breathing with flotation;

(12) rescue breathing without flotation;

(13) defense;

(14) escapes;

(15) multiple victim rescues;

(16) spinal injury, shallow water;

(17) spinal injury, deep water;

(v) such person must:
(a) correctly answer at least 80 percent of the questions on a written and/or oral test on theory and knowledge; and

(b) successfully perform/demonstrate all skills; and

(c) successfully:
(1) complete a 25 yard freestyle swim in 20 seconds; and

(2) perform a shallow dive, sprint 25 yards, recover 10 pound object from pool edge or gutter, then return 25 yards supporting 10 pound object; and

(3) demonstrate knowledge of:
(i) approaches;

(ii) escapes;

(iii) carries/tows;

(iv) spinal (shallow water) entry, approach, turn and support victim;

(v) spinal (deep water) entry, approach, turn and move victim to poolside or shallow end;

(vi) rescue tube swim/use;

(vii) surface dive and underwater swim;

(viii) tread water for one minute holding a diving brick with both hands.

(c) Supervision Level III.

(1) No person shall be qualified under this subdivision unless such person:
(i) has a minimum age of 18 years; and

(ii) possesses a current A.R.C. community CPR or equivalent certification; the certification period must not exceed one year; and

(iii) is competent to:
(a) understand and apply the rules and regulations of this Part and implement the safety plan; and

(b) evaluate environmental hazards; and

(c) use lifesaving equipment and facility; and

(d) undertake bather/crowd control.

(2) The requirements of this paragraph shall take effect on January 1, 2008. When a Supervision Level III staff assists a Supervision Level II staff with direct supervision of bathers during instruction as specified in section 6- 1.23(a)(6) of this Subpart, the Supervision Level III staff shall possess certification in aquatic injury prevention and emergency response. No person shall be qualified under this paragraph unless such a person possesses certification in lifeguard management issued by the American Red Cross or a certificate issued by a certifying agency determined by the State Commissioner of Health to provide an adequate level of training in aquatic injury prevention and emergency response. Certifications shall be valid for the time period specified by the certifying agency, but may not exceed a consecutive three-year period from course completion.

(d) Supervision Level IV.

(1) The requirements of this subdivision shall take effect on May 15, 1993.

(2) No person shall be qualified under this subdivision unless such person:
(i) is at least 18 years of age; and

(ii) possesses a current A.R.C. community CPR or equivalent certification; the certification period must not exceed one year.

(e) Lifeguard supervision and management.

(1) No person shall be qualified under this subdivision unless such person:
(i) Possesses current certification issued by a certifying agency determined by the State Department of Health to provide an adequate level of training in lifeguard supervision and management covering those items set forth below. Certification shall be valid for the time period specified by the certifying agency, but may not exceed a consecutive three-year period from course completion. The training course will be determined to be acceptable if, after a review, all the materials submitted by the program sponsor are determined to be complete and meet the requirements of this section. Instructors shall have sufficient experience and knowledge in lifeguard supervision and management to effectively communicate the subject matter required by this section:
(a) Program Goals and Objectives.

(b) Lifeguard and Lifeguard Supervisor Duties and Responsibilities.

(c) Injury Prevention and Preventative Lifeguarding:
(1) Communication Systems.

(2) Patron Surveillance:
(i) Victim Recognition.

(ii) Effective Scanning.

(iii) Lifeguard Positioning and Rotation.

(iv) Lifeguard Breaks.

(3) Surveillance for Groups:
(i) Instruction Programs.

(ii) Large Groups and Children's Camps:
(A) Coordinating Large Groups and Pre-arrangements.

(B) Buddy and Board Systems.

(C) Swimming Ability Assessment.

(D) Swimming Area Selection.

(iii) Competitive Events.

(4) Facility Operation and Management:
(i) Safety Equipment.

(ii) Hazards.

(iii) Weather Conditions.

(d) Types of Emergencies and Emergency Action Plans (EAP).

(e) Lifeguard Preparedness:
(1) Staff Orientation and Training.

(2) In-service Training.

(f) Risk Management.

(ii) Such person must correctly answer at least 80 percent of the questions on a written and/or oral test on theory and knowledge.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. New York may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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