SLSS lifesaving courses and lifeguard training · Be the Difference Maker

Train to save a life.

Practical rescue skills, from your first Lifesaving 123 award to the Bronze Medallion, the award needed to work as a lifeguard in Singapore.

SLSS courses

11 SLSS awards, one step at a time.

All awards are issued by the Singapore Life Saving Society (SLSS). Durations are approximate. For prices and the next course dates, message us on WhatsApp.

Lifesaving 123 Award

About 20 to 30 hours · three phases

The fundamentals of water safety, plus land-based and water-based non-contact rescue and resuscitation. Trainees should be strong swimmers, as the focus is on lifesaving, not strokes. Pass all three exams for SLSS badges and certificates.

Lifesaving 1: water safety, reaching, throwing and wading rescues; swim 100 m
Lifesaving 2: open-water dangers, mouth-to-mouth and EAR, rope rescue; swim 150 m
Lifesaving 3: treating cramp and minor bleeding, sculling and treading, underwater recovery, full-clothed rescue; swim 200 m

Resuscitation Award

About 6 to 8 hours

Hands-on CPR and related emergency care.

CPR on adult and child manikins
Clearing a blocked airway in conscious and unconscious casualties
Dealing with a simulated live casualty
How to contact emergency medical services

Bronze Medallion

Needs Lifesaving 3 · about 20 to 30 hours

The next goal after Lifesaving 123 and the step toward becoming a qualified lifeguard. Focuses on swimming fitness and timed rescue techniques, and introduces CPR.

Land-based and water-based rescue
Rescue fitness within 3 min 15 sec
Contact tow of an uncooperative casualty, then aftercare
Rescue of a submerged casualty within 1 min 15 sec, then CPR
Swim 400 m continuously in at least three strokes

Pool Lifeguard Award

Needs Bronze Medallion · about 20 to 30 hours

The knowledge, judgement and fitness to supervise people in swimming pools.

Pool emergency equipment, communication, hazards and emergency action plan
Contact tow within 1 min 20 sec; double rescue of two casualties; releases from three clutches
Resuscitation rescue of a submerged casualty; spinal-injury care; oxygen resuscitators
Swim 400 m (100 m each of four strokes) within 11 min
Needs a CPR certificate from the past two years

Senior Resuscitation Award

Needs Resuscitation Award · about 6 to 8 hours

Further CPR and emergency-care practice.

Anatomy and physiology basics, and care for shock, bleeding, hypothermia, asphyxia, heart attack and spinal injuries
Barrier resuscitation; CPR with one and two rescuers
Airway obstruction in conscious, collapsing and unconscious casualties

Bronze Cross Award

Needs Bronze Medallion · about 10 to 12 hours

Lifesaving and emergency-care skills for qualified lifesavers in open water.

Emergency care for hypothermia, heat stroke, fractures, shoulder dislocation and cramps
Lifeline, fin, single-seater kayak and rescue-tube rescues

Silver Cross Award

Needs Bronze Cross · about 12 to 16 hours

Advanced open-water lifesaving and emergency care.

Care for head and spinal injury, heart attack, stroke and asthma
Fins and snorkel or goggle rescue, board rescue and double-seater kayak rescue
Rescue-tube endurance swim of 600 m within 17 min

SLSS Award of Merit

Needs Bronze Medallion · about 20 to 30 hours

A higher level of knowledge and rescue ability.

Rescue fitness to a conscious casualty 75 m from safety within 5 min
Contact tow of a panicking casualty 25 m away and 75 m from safety
Resuscitation rescue in deep water, 30 m from safety within 1 min, then CPR
Swim 600 m continuously across four strokes

SLSS Distinction Award

Needs Award of Merit · about 20 to 30 hours

An advanced all-round standard of aquatic rescue.

Rescue fitness 100 m from safety within 6 min
Contact tow of a panicking casualty 50 m away and 100 m from safety
Resuscitation rescue 45 m from safety within 1 min 15 sec, then CPR
Swim 800 m continuously across four strokes, four times over

Lifesaving Instructor Award

Needs Bronze Medallion or higher, and a CPR award

Teaching skills to run classes and assess Lifesaving 1, 2, 3 and Aquapak awards.

Teaching drowning prevention and water rescue principles
A 15-minute lecture and a 15-minute practical lesson to a class of 6

Conducted by the Singapore Life Saving Society (SLSS).

Lifesaving Teacher Award

Needs Award of Merit or Distinction, and Senior Resuscitation

Teaching and organising lifesaving programmes at school or club level.

Teaching resuscitation, initiative tests and simulated incidents, and how SLSS exams are organised
A 20-minute resuscitation lesson and a 20-minute practical lesson to a class of 6

Conducted exclusively at the Singapore Life Saving Society (SLSS).

[PHOTO: teens practising a towing rescue]

What you practise

Real scenarios, broken into clear steps.

Towing a partner, CPR, reach-and-row rescues, deep-water treading and board rescues. Courses build endurance and real-world water safety, and certificates are issued by SLSS.

We help you prepare well. We don’t promise a pass.

After the Swimsafer, we enrolled our teenager in the Lifesaving 1, 2, and 3 program to build endurance and real-world water safety skills. The scenarios they practice, such as towing a partner, performing CPR, and using reach-and-row rescues, are very practical. Knowing my child can handle a water emergency was a proud parent moment for me. Also, they get to work as part-time lifeguards for the extra pocket money!

~ Jeremy L.

The lifesaving modules are tough but rewarding. The instructor breaks complex rescue techniques, like deep-water treading and board rescues, into clear steps. My child’s fitness has improved a lot, and the focus on water rescue has helped him to understand responsibility.

~ Michelle K.

Ready when you are.

Make a splash.

Tap your choices and send them to us on WhatsApp. Questions are always welcome.