WorksheetsLifeguard Spinal Challenge 2026
Total questions: 15
Worksheet time: 9mins
While treating a suspected spinal injury, why is it important to keep talking to the guest?
Talking can help reassure the guest or keep them distracted
A guest who is talking is breathing, has a pulse, and is conscious
Talking allows lifeguards to take suggestions from the guest about how to provide care
Talking to the guest can help lifeguards gather important information about the guest
The "Standard of Care" concept refers to:
Skills and care that would be normally provided by any regular citizen in a similar situation
Treating incidents with a triage mentality where the order of treatment is based on the severity of the illness or injury
Skills and care that would be normally provided by other lifeguards in a similar situation
A policy your employer must follow to ensure employee rights
For an Emergency Action Plan to work effectively the:
Guest must be conscious and able to follow directions
Rescue team must demonstrate strong swimming skills
Rescue team must be familiar with the plan and practice the plan often
Rescue team must include bystanders
A technique used to immobilize the head and neck of a guest in water with a suspected spinal injury in-water is:
C-Collar
Head Hold
C-Spine
Vice Grip
When the lifeguard team is securing a guest to a backboard, the team should:
Secure the guest's body (chest, hips, thighs, and lower legs) to the backboard before securing the head (using a head immobilizer)
Use at least three straps at all times before attempting to remove the guest from the water
Ensure the straps are loose enough for two or more fingers to fit underneath of them
Never give the guest a blanket because shock from a spinal injury causes the body to overheat
What are the first basic steps lifeguards follow when presented with a submerged guest with a
suspected spinal injury?
Guests cannot have a spinal injury and be submerged. A standard rescue should be performed
The guard should do a feet-first surface dive to reach the guest, apply vice grip, then swim to the surface at an angle, turning the guest as they reach the surface
Lifeguards should do a deep water rescue, to bring the guest to the surface, then apply vise grip at the surface and begin back-boarding
Two lifeguards should do a feet-first surface dive to the depth of the guest, then one will perform vise grip, while the other supports the feet
Two lifeguards are back-boarding a large man who dove into 6 ft of water. What techniques will assist the lifeguards in managing the large guest?
The lifeguard team should stabilize the guest in the water until EMS arrives to preform the adapted large guest abdominal extrication (ALGAE)
The lifeguard at the head can ask the guest to hold his breath so that he will become more buoyant and easier to manage while in the water
The lifeguard team can bring the guest to shallow water (if possible) so they can stand without support of the rescue tubes, and place rescue tubes under the foot of the board to add support
The lifeguard team can use any of the above techniques to assist in managing a large guest with a suspected spinal injury
When a lifeguard must control a crowd during an emergency situation, which of the following techniques would be most appropriate?
Begin with asking guests to politely leave. If that does not work, use a harsh stern voice and usher them away if necessary.
Use extremely specific directions that include, distance, direction, locations, and statements like "there is nothing to see here, keep moving"
Just call security and let them deal with it.
Keep calm, speak loudly, speak clearly, give simple directions, and speak with authority
If a suspected spinal injury occurs on deck (non-aquatic), how do lifeguards provide care?
Lifeguards should activate the EAP and focus on basic spinal motion restriction until EMS arrives
Lifeguards should start with basic stabilization, then backboard in a similar manner as would be performed in the water
Lifeguards should quickly move the guest into an attraction, and then backboard them in the water
Lifeguards should give the guest directions to EMS, because if the guest is out of water they are stable enough to walk
If a guest with a head, neck or back injury goes unconscious and stops breathing, lifeguards should use which technique when providing rescue breathing?
Jaw thrust without head-tilt
Head tilt chin lift
Jaw thrust with head-tilt
Open the mouth only, do not tilt or thrust the head or jaw
The vise grip is designed to manage a guest with a suspected spinal injury, who is:
Lying on their side near the pool edge
In the recovery position on the pool deck
Lying face down on the pool deck
Face up or face down in the water
The correct order for strapping a guest with a suspected spinal injury to a backboard is:
Chest, hips, thighs, lower legs, and then the head
Head, chest, pelvis, and then feet
Feet, head, chest and then pelvis
Straps can be applied in any order
While you are back-boarding a suspected spinal, the guest clearly stops breathing and looses consciousness. What is your next step in providing care?
Finish back-boarding as fast as possible, and then check pulse and breathing when out of the water.
Begin rescue breathing while other lifeguards finish back-boarding, then assess pulse and breathing after extrication
Stop back-boarding and immediately extricate the guest, and begin care by assessing pulse and breathing
Stop back-boarding and immediately extricate the guest, once out of the water immediately start rescue breathing
A guest walks out of body slides and begins complaining that their back hurts. What steps should the lifeguard take to provide care?
Activate the EAP and begin spinal motion restriction
Call EMS from the phone at M7 bottom, activate the EAP and begin spinal motion restriction
Ask the Guest to walk to EMS to be checked out
Activate the EAP, Glove Up, and preform spinal motion restriction until cleared by EMS
How long do lifeguards have to extricate a guest with a head, neck or back injury?
1 minute
2 minutes
3 minutes
4 minutes
