I'm looking at getting my lifeguard certification this summer and my employer accepts either ALA or Red Cross. I've heard the ALA certification is faster to complete - something like 24-30 hours for the full course versus 30+ for Red Cross. Is that true and does the shorter course mean the training is less thorough?
I'm a strong swimmer - I can do 300 yards in about 7 minutes - so the swim test doesn't worry me. It's more the first aid and CPR components I want to make sure are solid. From what I've found, both certifications require a written exam around 50 questions with an 80% passing threshold and both give you a 2-year certification period.
The ALA course near me is $160 versus $210 for Red Cross, which is also a factor. If they're genuinely equivalent for employment purposes I'd rather save the $50, but not if it means weaker training.
I've had both and the water rescue skills test was similar in difficulty. The ALA course I took was 26 hours over two weekends, Red Cross was 32. Both covered the same core rescue scenarios.
The ALA written exam I took had 45 questions and I passed with an 87%. The instructor matters more than the certifying organization honestly.
Most facilities just want a current cert from a recognized provider - they don't differentiate between ALA and Red Cross. Check with your specific employer first but 95% of the time it won't matter.