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According to the American Red Cross, what is the maximum number of swimmers per guard?

The pool I work at has a rule that says if there are more than 25 people in the pool, a second guard must go out on deck. What is the number according to the American Red Cross?

Public Comments

1. Traditionally, the number of lifeguards required at public bathing places, absent any National standards, has been based on the surface area of the facility, the user load (number of swimmers in the pool) or a combination of both.

In this proposed rulemaking, the required number of certified lifeguards would be based on a determination of water surface area. Computations based upon water surface area would provide a consistent method for determining the number of lifeguards needed, even though there could be considerable differences in the design, size and type of facility and a variable user load.

Various states employ different standards for determining the appropriate number of lifeguards for a public bathing facility. There is no single industry standard or consensus regarding an appropriate lifeguard ratio. Nationally recognized lifeguard training organizations, such as the American Red Cross and Ellis and Associates, recommend that each lifeguard be able to survey the lifeguard's assigned area every 10 seconds and be able to respond to a distressed swimmer within 20 seconds. This standard, called the ''10/20 rule,'' is the basis upon which the majority of lifeguards are trained.

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