Lifeguarding 101

Why does the American Red Cross teach this course?

• To help people stay calm in emergencies.

• To help people make appropriate decisions when they are confronted with an emergency.

• To help people in an emergency keep a victim’s injuries from getting worse until emergency medical services (EMS) personnel arrive and take over.

• All of the above

You notice a patron that is swimming laps who suddenly slips under water without a struggle and does not resurface. This person is probably:

• A passive victim who needs help.

• A distressed swimmer who needs help.

• An active victim who needs help.

• An intermediate swimmer who does not need help.

Primary responsibilities of a lifeguard include:

• Inspecting the pool and rescue equipment before the facility opens and paying close attention to patrons in the water by actively searching their assigned zone.

• Fixing the pool rope and lane lines and ensuring the changing rooms are clean.

• Following the health codes, answering a patron’s question and making sure patrons shower before using the pool.

• Passing out the pool rules to all the patrons.

A child accidentally falls from the deck into the water and is in distress. After you activate the emergency action plan (EAP), what steps should you take next?

• Clear the pool and alert management of the emergency.

• Encourage them to stay calm and swim back to the edge of the pool.

• Enter the water, approach the victim and bring them to a safe exit point.

• Obtain consent from the child’s parent before rescuing the child.

The size and shape of a lifeguard’s zone should allow them to recognize and reach a victim in the furthest and deepest part of their zone within:

• 45 seconds

• 1 ½ minutes

• 30 seconds

• 2 minutes

While searching your zone, you notice a person motionless in the water. The steps you follow in a water emergency are performed in the following order:

• Perform a secondary assessment, perform a primary assessment, size-up the scene, activate the emergency action plan (EAP), and summon EMS personnel.

• Perform a primary assessment, activate the EAP, summon EMS personnel, perform a secondary assessment and size-up the scene.

• Size-up the scene, activate the EAP, form an initial impression, summon EMS personnel, perform a primary assessment and perform a secondary assessment.

• Activate the EAP, enter the water, perform an appropriate rescue, move the victim to a safe exit point, remove the victim from the water and provide emergency care as needed.

While searching your zone, you witness a patron struggling while swimming and then go under water. Which of the following applies?

• You would use the RID factor to determine what to do.

• You should continue to scan the pool until emergency back-up coverage is available.

• You have duty to act and perform the appropriate rescue.

• You should notify off duty lifeguards to provide care for the victim.

A lifeguard can no longer see some of the patrons at one side of the swimming area from their station because of glare from the afternoon sun. To maintain effective patron surveillance, the lifeguard should:

• Document the issue and present it at next month’s staff meeting.

• Adjust their position slightly to remove the glare from the surveillance area.

• Leave the area to find the supervisor for assistance.

• Stay in the same position since the patrons are strong swimmers.

A couple of patrons start running on the pool deck. You blow your whistle to get their attention. Next, you enforce the rules and regulations by:

• Calling your supervisor.

• Giving them a warning.

• Telling them they could slip or fall and must walk on the deck.

• Telling them they might be asked to leave and demanding they stop it now.

When caring for a suspected head, neck or spinal injury in water, proper manual in-line stabilization is:

• Provided using the head splint technique.

• Less important than on land due to the support provided by the water.

• The only necessary technique needed if EMS personnel are close by.

• Provided by bystanders if the lifeguard needs to clear the pool.