- Student Life & Services
- Campus Recreation
- Health and Safety Classes
Health and Safety Classes
Campus Recreation & Wellness offers a variety of American Red Cross™ health and safety certification classes each semester. Most classes are offered in a blended learning format, which means participants must complete online modules prior to attending an in-person class. Once a participant completes and passes all online modules and in person class(es), they will receive their certification from the American Red Cross.
Information on each course offered is listed below. You can view the schedule of all class offerings and register online at myrec.wcu.edu.
Do you have a group, club, or department that needs a certification? We also offer private and customized classes to fit your needs! We have worked with University Police, The Catamount School, Athletics, and many more. Reach out to Sydney Hendren, shendren@wcu.edu, to start the planning process for your private class today.
Designed to help you recognize and respond appropriately to cardiac, breathing, and/or first aid emergencies. These courses teach you the knowledge and skills needed to give immediate care when minutes matter. There are no prerequisites to take these courses.
The following classes can be taken individually or grouped together to meet your needs:
- Adult CPR/AED
- Pediatric CPR/AED
- First Aid
- CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer
CRW offers Adult First Aid/CPR/AED courses regularly each Fall and Spring semester and are available to the general public. To view a full list of current class offerings, please visit myrec.wcu.edu.
- Adult First Aid/CPR/AED Course Cost: WCU Student $40 | Faculty/Staff $50 | Community $65
These courses provide entry-level lifeguard participants with the knowledge and skills to prevent, recognize, and respond to aquatic emergencies and to provide professional-level care for for breathing and cardiac emergencies and injries until EMS personnel take over. These courses have specific prerequisite requirements to take the class. Successful participants receive a certification that is valid for 2 years.
- Lifeguarding
- Cost: WCU Student $175 | Faculty/Staff $200 | Community $250
- Prerequisites:
- Must be at least 15 years old on or before the final scheduled session of the course.
- Swim 300 yards continuously, demonstrating breath control and rhythmic breathing. May swim front crawl, breaststroke, or a combination of the two. Goggles may be used.
- Tread water for 2 minutes, using only the legs.
- Complete a timed event within 1 minute & 40 seconds. Goggles are not allowed.
- Start in the water, swim 20 yards
- Surface dive to a depth of 7-10 feet and retrieve a 10-pound object
- Return to the surface and swim 20 yards on the back to return to the starting point. Both hands must remain on the object and the face must be at or near the surface.
- Exit the water without using a ladder or steps.
- Lifeguarding Review
- Cost: WCU Student $105 | Faculty/Staff $125 | Community $175
- Prerequisites:
- Hold a current American Red Cross Lifeguarding certification, or an American Red Cross Lifeguarding certification that is no more than 30 days expired by the first day of the course.
- Successfully demonstrate the swim prerequisites required for the Lifeguarding clas
There are multiple lifeguarding instructor classes held by CRW on an annual basis. Options include:
- Lifeguarding Instructor
- Cost: WCU Student $175 | Faculty/Staff $200 | Community $250
- Trains certified lifeguards to become instructors and teach basic-level lifeguarding courses
- Prerequisites:
- Be at least 17 years old on or before the last day of the course
- Possess a current American Red Cross certification in Lifeguarding/CPR/AED/First Aid
- Lifeguarding Instructor/Trainer Review
- Cost: WCU Student $70 | Faculty/Staff $90 | Community $140
- Optional add on of basic Lifeguarding certification: additional $35
- An abbreviated course for currently certified instructors and instructor trainers
- Prerequisites:
- Possess a current (or expired no more than 1 year) American Red Cross Lifeguarding Instructor and/or Instructor Trainer certification
- Cost: WCU Student $70 | Faculty/Staff $90 | Community $140
There are multiple levels of swim instructor classes held by CRW on an annual basis. Options include:
- Water Safety Instructor
- Cost: WCU Student $200 | Faculty/Staff $225 | Community $275
- Trains candidates to teach courses and presentations in the American Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety programs including all levels of swim lessons and water safety courses/presentations.
- Prerequisites:
- Be at least 16 years old on or before the final class session
- Demonstrate the ability to perform the following swimming skills:
- Swim the following strokes to a level 4 swim ability:
- Front Crawl - 25 yards
- Back Crawl - 25 yards
- Breaststroke - 25 yards
- Elementary Backstroke - 25 yards
- Sidestroke - 25 yards
- Butterfly - 15 yards
- Maintain position on back for 1 minute in deep water (floating or sculling)
- Tread water for 1 minute
- Swim the following strokes to a level 4 swim ability:
- Basic Swim Instructor
- Cost: WCU Student $200 | Faculty/Staff $225 | Community $275
- Trains candidates to teach courses and presentations in the American Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety programs including lower levels of swim lessons and water safety courses/presentations.
- Prerequisites:
- Be at least 16 years old on or before the final class session
- Demonstrate the ability to perform the following swimming skills:
- Swim the following strokes to a level 4 swim ability:
- Front Crawl - 25 yards
- Breaststroke - 25 yards
- Elementary Backstroke - 25 yards
- Sidestroke - 25 yards
- Complete the Water Competency Sequence
- Step into deep water and completely submerge
- Float or tread for 1 minute
- Rotate 1 full circle and orient to exit
- Swim 25 yards without stopping
- Exit the water without using steps or ladder
- Swim the following strokes to a level 4 swim ability:
