Safe Swim

What Safe Swim does

Safe Swim is a privately held, Irvine, California-based training services company that operates as an authorized American Red Cross Aquatic and Safety Training Provider. Founded in 1998, the company delivers a portfolio of in-person certification and instructional programs organized around three pillars: swim lessons (progressive Red Cross levels 1-6 for ages 4+), lifeguard certification tracks (entry-level certification, recertification, and instructor-level training), and water safety instruction (WSI), plus ancillary courses such as Basic Water Rescue and Water Safety Today. All courses are delivered by American Red Cross-certified instructors at the company's training facility in Brea, CA, with swim lessons held in Irvine, CA. The underlying "technology" is the American Red Cross curriculum itself — Safe Swim does not develop proprietary software or platforms and instead leverages standardized Red Cross materials, blended online/in-person content, and a website-based registration portal.

The company generates revenue exclusively through one-time course and session fees, with no recurring subscription or licensing model. Pricing ranges from $225 (lifeguard recertification) to $1,280 (8-lesson swim session package), with group rates available for on-site corporate bookings. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the company website and phone (949-420-0804), supplemented by event-driven scheduled weekend classes and on-site group training at customer facilities for organizations needing staff certification. Customer segments span families with children, aspiring and current lifeguards, foster/adoptive parents requiring California state certification, and public safety/daycare professionals — a horizontally segmented base with no enterprise anchor accounts. Safe Swim/Heart CPR is referenced in program policies, suggesting a related-entity relationship, though no formal corporate structure is disclosed. The company has 51-100 employees, no disclosed funding, and has operated continuously since 1998 with no acquisitions, leadership changes, or geographic expansions reported.

Name

Safe Swim

Legal name

Safe Swim

Website

https://safeswim.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Safe Swim is an American Red Cross authorized training provider in Irvine, California delivering in-person swim lessons, lifeguard certification, and water safety courses to families, aspiring lifeguards, and California-based organizations since 1998.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aquatics Safety Training

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

akta.pro primary industry

Lifeguard, Water Rescue & Aquatic Safety Training (EDAOAMAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Aquatics Programs (Pools, Swim Lessons, Lifeguarding) (EDALAIAF)

Keywords

• Aquatics safety training
• Swim instruction
• Lifeguard certification
• Water rescue training
• Red Cross authorized provider

Headquarters

HQ city

Irvine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Certification Course Fees: Revenue is generated through one-time course fees for American Red Cross certification training. Individual courses range from $225-$525 per person depending on course type and duration. These are single transaction fees for training completion, not recurring subscriptions.
2. Swim Lesson Sessions: Swim lessons are sold as multi-session packages (8 lessons at $1,280 per session) covering progressive skill development through Red Cross swim levels 1-6.
3. Group Training Services: On-site group training at customer facilities for organizations with staff certification requirements. Group pricing varies by course type and class size.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Safe Swim is an authorized American Red Cross training provider delivering aquatic safety certification programs and swim lessons. The company offers group training and individual enrollment across lifeguard, water safety instructor, and water rescue courses at facilities in Brea, CA and Irvine, CA.

Product overview

Safe Swim is a training services provider offering American Red Cross aquatic and safety certification programs. The company operates a portfolio of instructor-led training courses organized around three core pillars: Swim Lessons (Level 1-6 for ages 4+), Lifeguard Training and Certification (including initial certification, recertification, and instructor-level courses), and Water Safety Instructor (WSI) Certification. Additional offerings include Basic Water Rescue and Water Safety Today courses. All programs award American Red Cross certifications with validity periods of 2-3 years. The company provides both individual open enrollment classes and private group training for organizations, with in-person instruction at their Brea, CA facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Swim Lessons Swimming instruction program available to individuals and groups seeking to develop or improve water competency and swimming skills.
• Lifeguard Certification Entry-level American Red Cross lifeguard certification course for individuals pursuing employment as lifeguards at pools, beaches, and aquatic facilities.
• Lifeguard Recertification Renewal course for existing lifeguards needing to update or extend their American Red Cross lifeguard certification.
• Lifeguard Instructor Certification Course certifying individuals to teach American Red Cross lifeguard courses at their own facilities or organizations.
• Lifeguard Instructor Recertification Renewal course for certified lifeguard instructors needing to extend their instructor credentials.
• Water Safety Instructor (WSI) Certification American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor course enabling participants to teach swim lessons and water safety courses.
• Basic Water Rescue Certification Course training participants in basic water rescue skills for non-lifeguard contexts such as camp counselors, teachers, or parents.
• Water Safety Today Certification Short-format water safety awareness course focused on practical water safety practices for the general public.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2-year certification validity for lifeguarding, WSI, and Lifeguard Instructor certifications; 3-year validity for Basic Water Rescue

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• American Red CrosscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSafe Swim is a proud provider of American Red Cross Aquatic and Safety Training Programs. The company delivers official Red Cross curricula for lifeguarding, water safety instruction, CPR/AED, and first aid certifications. As an authorized training provider, Safe Swim issues American Red Cross certifications upon successful course completion. All instructors must hold current Red Cross certifications.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Aqua-Tots Swim Schools: Multi-state franchise swim school with structured levels for children of all ages, similar package-based pricing model (multi-session packages), and a comparable instructor-led, in-facility delivery approach.
• Ellis & Associates: Established national aquatic safety and lifeguard training organization (International Lifeguard Training Program) competing with the Red Cross curriculum; covers lifeguard certification, aquatic risk management, and instructor training at scale across the US.
• Big Blue Swim School: Growing national franchise offering year-round small-group swim lessons for kids with a similar progressive-level curriculum and family-focused positioning; competes for the same parent-paying customer segment.
• British Swim School: National franchise swim lesson provider serving a similar customer segment (families with young children) using a parallel learn-to-swim curriculum; both companies compete for the same retail swim lesson customer in geographies where they overlap.
• Goldfish Swim School: Large national franchise swim school offering weekly group lessons for children 4 months to 12 years using proprietary curriculum; directly comparable core customer (parents seeking structured child swim instruction) and facility-based operating model.
• YMCA Aquatics Programs: Large national community organization offering swim lessons, lifeguard certification, and water safety training at most local branches; competes for the same family and entry-level lifeguard customers, often at subsidized community pricing.

Regional players

• Emler Swim School: Established regional franchise swim school (primarily Texas/Midwest) offering lessons for children through Instructor-level training; similar progressive curriculum and instructor-led delivery but a non-overlapping geography.

Direct peers

• Heart CPR: Directly comparable Red Cross affiliated CPR and safety training provider operating in Southern California; appears as a related operating name in Safe Swim's own cancellation policies ('Safe Swim/Heart CPR'), indicating same ownership or very close operational overlap.
• StarGuard Aquatics (StarAquatic/Premier Lifeguarding): Direct lifeguard certification competitor offering lifeguard training, instructor certification, and aquatic safety courses under a competing national program; competes for the same aspiring lifeguard and public-safety trainee customer base.

Emerging players

• Sunsational Swim School: Private, mobile in-home swim instruction service targeting families and children; similar target customer and pricing tier (multi-session packages) but different delivery model (instructor travels to residential pools).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/safeswim
• Facebookfacebook.com/safeswim
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/safe-swim

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Safe Swim