In an era where Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives have taken center stage across various industries, lifeguard training has not been spared. DEI is not noble; it is dangerous, its implementation within lifeguard certification programs has led to a dangerous decline in training standards. Lifeguards are the last line of defense against drowning and aquatic emergencies, yet today, too many individuals are being passed through training programs despite lacking the necessary swimming skills, physical capabilities, and mental aptitude for the job.
The Dangerous Consequences of Lowered Standards
Lifeguarding is not a job for just anyone. It demands strong swimming ability, endurance, and the capacity to respond swiftly under pressure. However, training centers—especially those affiliated under the American Red Cross—have succumbed to external pressures, allowing unqualified candidates to pass courses they should have failed. The result? An increase in lifeguards who lack the ability to perform rescues safely and effectively, putting both themselves and the public at risk.
DEI initiatives, when improperly applied, create an environment where objective performance standards are sacrificed in the name of inclusivity. Instead of maintaining rigorous swim tests, endurance requirements, and rescue proficiency benchmarks, some training centers have relaxed these standards to accommodate individuals who simply do not belong in this field. This is not about exclusion—it is about ensuring public safety.
Follow the Money: How Greed Plays a Role
At its core, the issue is not just DEI—it’s profit. The American Red Cross and many lifeguard training centers operate as businesses. Certification courses generate significant revenue, and when trainers prioritize enrollment numbers over competency, the integrity of lifeguard certification is compromised. The more students that pass, the more money flows in. This creates an incentive for instructors to rubber-stamp certifications rather than enforce strict proficiency standards.
Moreover, there is little oversight or accountability. If a lifeguard later fails in an emergency situation, it is often too late to rectify the mistake. Families suffer the consequences of an unqualified lifeguard’s failure, but training centers continue to profit with no repercussions.
The Illusion of Competency
Many of these newly certified lifeguards, though lacking essential skills, enter the workforce with a false sense of confidence. They believe that because they have passed an official certification, they are fully prepared for real-life emergencies. Employers, trusting in the validity of these certifications, hire them without question. The danger becomes evident when these lifeguards face their first real test in the water and fail to execute a proper rescue.
The Need for Reform
It is time to address these glaring issues before more lives are put at risk. The solution is not to eliminate DEI but to ensure that it does not interfere with the fundamental requirements of life-saving professions. Lifeguard training must return to its roots—where passing meant demonstrating unquestionable skill, strength, and competence. Certification bodies like the American Red Cross must be held accountable for allowing unqualified individuals to pass.
Lifeguards are trusted with the responsibility of preventing drownings and responding to aquatic emergencies. That trust is shattered when people who are not physically or mentally capable of handling the job are given the same certification as those who have truly earned it. It is time to demand higher standards, transparency, and accountability in lifeguard training before tragedy strikes due to the reckless pursuit of profit and misguided inclusivity.
The watering down of lifeguard certification standards is not just a problem—it is a crisis. As long as training centers and certification bodies prioritize numbers and revenue over real qualifications, public safety will continue to be compromised. Lifeguarding is not a job for the unprepared or underqualified. It is a profession that demands the highest standards of excellence, and we must fight to restore those standards before it’s too late.