Advertise using lifeguard visibility items, including lifeguard recruitment television public service announcement

When asked how they recruit and retain lifeguards, here is what your colleagues have said...

Posters and flyers are common vehicles used to spread the word about Lifeguard Training courses. The American Red Cross has posters available, along with other items, to help promote and give visibility to Red Cross Lifeguarding. Recruitment postcards and posters are also available to target the potential lifeguard directly with the theme: Lifeguarding, A Job so Hot, It's Cool. A TV PSA featuring Olympic Gold-Medalist Misty Hyman can be placed with local cable and network TV stations to encourage people to become lifeguards. Additional products, such as banners and plaques, are available to authorized providers and participants in the Aquatic Examiner Service to highlight that your staff is Red Cross-trained.

Contact your local Red Cross chapter to learn more about and to order the following visibility items:

"Be a Lifeguard" Misty Hyman Lifeguard Recruitment PSA (:30) .avi file (4,530KB) .mov file (4,424KB)	Lifeguard Recruitment TV PSA Featuring Olympic Gold-Medalist, Misty Hyman Olympic gold medalist in the 200-meter butterfly swimming event, Misty Hyman, offered her support to the American Red Cross when she heard about the shortage of lifeguards. That support culminated into a :30 TV PSA titled "Be a Lifeguard," to help encourage young people and/or strong swimmers to become lifeguards. To preview the national PSA online, visit the press room at http://www.redcross.org/press/psa.html#vid. A pitch letter and photo boards are available to send to the public affairs director of your local cable or network television stations to get it placed in your area. Photo boards of both the national and local versions demonstrate the look, feel and copy of the PSA.
	Self Mailer Postcards This 5" X 8" postcard (Stock No. 654199) can be sent to local aquatic groups, youth groups or given to aquatic facilities to mail to their list of patrons.
	Recruitment Posters These posters (Stock No. 654194) are intended to give to aquatic facilities that offer Red Cross programs and/or for posting in high-traffic areas of schools, community centers or other public places. White space at the bottom of the poster can be used to post training schedules, contact information and locations of Lifeguarding courses. The poster also helps to alert facility patrons that they offer the best in aquatic safety training-the American Red Cross.
	Lifeguarding Patch The Lifeguarding patch (Stock No. 321058) is intended for aquatic facilities that offer Red Cross Lifeguarding courses, those that employ Red Cross trained lifeguards or Red Cross trained lifeguards themselves.

Consider using the Lifeguarding patch in the following ways:

• Distribute the patches to lifeguards with their certificates at the completion of their lifeguard training as part of a graduation package;
• Suggest that their lifeguards sew the patch to their shorts, hats or t-shirts;
• Let your patrons know that they are concerned about safety by proudly displaying your Red Cross training;
• Provide patches to lifeguards as a 'thank you' for their hard work; and
• Provide patches to existing Red Cross trained lifeguards during a pre-season orientation.

The 2-3/4 inch, round, embroidered, 3-color patch simply states "American Red Cross Trained Lifeguard."

Aquatics Banner
Although it is not lifeguarding specific, aquatic facilities can hang the aquatics banner (Stock No. 658004) inside or outside their pools to let your customers know that you offer the best in aquatic safety training-the American Red Cross. The banner includes the American Red Cross signature with the words "Swimming and Aquatic Programs Offered Here."

Health and Safety Services Provider Plaque
The plaque (Stock No. 657114) can be hung in a lobby, classroom or high traffic hallway, increasing the training credibility of the authorized provider.