The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management is announcing changes to its lifeguard certification process with the goal of increasing the number of applicants and keeping beaches fully supervised.
Right now it is believed that the state has about half the number of lifeguards that it usually has.
Starting in 2023, the DEM says lifeguards can perform an endurance swim in a pool before attending a testing date for state certification.
The swim must be performed in front of an aquatic examiner.
Also, certification test dates will be expanded to include later hours and weekends.
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