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Resorts are geographically spread in a way that changes response entirely. An incident can happen at a pool, on a beach, in a restaurant, in a gym or in a guest room, and the distance between those points is often substantial. The practical consequence is that a single defibrillator at reception is inadequate, the relevant measure is how long it takes to bring one to the furthest point on the property.
Staff across every department should be able to start the response, not just the aquatic team. Housekeeping, restaurant and front-desk staff are frequently the first to find someone, and they need to know how to summon help, describe a location precisely enough for a responder to find it, and start compressions. Location description is a real problem on a large site and is worth rehearsing.
Guests complicate matters in specific ways. They do not know the layout, may not speak the local language, may have been drinking, and are often unaccompanied by anyone who knows their medical history. Staff who are trained to act without that information, rather than waiting to gather it, respond considerably faster.
Updated for 2026. This article was reviewed in 2026 and the guidance below reflects how the course is run now.
Course content follows the current ILCOR consensus on science and the American Heart Association guidelines for CPR and emergency cardiovascular care. American Aquatics and Safety Training is not affiliated with, and does not certify on behalf of, the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross.
On timings: the CPR/AED course runs 275 minutes (4 hours 35 minutes) in the classroom, including a 10 minute skills examination and a 20 minute written examination.
Reviewed by Jackie Stern, Lifeguard Instructor, Firefighter and EMT. Jackie Stern has taught lifeguarding for more than 20 years and works as a firefighter, EMT and swim instructor. She reviews course content, prerequisites and rescue standards against current certification requirements.