Red Cross Lifeguarding 2025

1. What does the primary responsibility of a lifeguard include?

a. Conduct surveillance.

b. Administer swim tests.

c. Assist patrons with questions.

d. Ensure that resuscitation equipment is working.

a. Conduct surveillance.

2. In which scenario is a lifeguard demonstrating characteristics of professional appearance while conducting surveillance?

a. Using a mobile phone

b. Socializing with patrons

c. Assuming a relaxed posture

d. Wearing the lifeguard uniform properly

d. Wearing the lifeguard uniform properly

3. What immediate action should a lifeguard take when they hear thunder in the distance?

a. Clear patrons from the water.

b. Count the seconds between claps of thunder.

c. Monitor weather reports to watch for storms.

d. Allow patrons to remain in the water until lightning is sighted

a. Clear patrons from the water.

4. A lifeguard is conducting surveillance from a ground-level station. The water depth in their zone is 4 feet. A person at the far end of their zone starts to display active drowning behaviors. The water in front of their zone is crowded with patrons.

Which entry should the lifeguard use in this situation?

a. Stride jump

b. Slide-in entry

c. Compact jump

d. Run-and-swim entry

b. Slide-in entry

5. A patron in the water is vertical, struggling to keep their face above the water, has their arms extended to their sides, is pressing down for support and is not making any forward progress in the water.

Which situation do these behaviors describe?

a. Distressed swimmer

b. Active drowning person

c.Passive drowning person

d. Person with potential spinal injury

b. Active drowning person

6. Which behavior does a passive drowning person exhibit?

a. May be clinging to a line for support

b. Struggles at the surface of the water

c. Has defined arm and leg movements leading to purposeful movement

d. Appears unresponsive in the water at the surface, sinking or on the bottom

d. Appears unresponsive in the water at the surface, sinking or on the bottom

7. How often should a lifeguard complete a scan of their entire zone?

a. Every 15 seconds

b. Every 30 seconds

c. Every 45 seconds

d. Every 90 seconds

b. Every 30 seconds

8. Which action indicates that a lifeguard is using an effective scanning technique?

a. Sits still to prevent too much distracting body movement

b. Mentally rehearses how to perform a rescue to help stay alert and prepared

c. Moves their head and eyes and looks directly at each patron in the zone

d. Focuses most of their attention on high-risk patrons, occasionally glancing at other patrons

c. Moves their head and eyes and looks directly at each patron in the zone

9. Sun glare on the water surface is making it difficult for a lifeguard to see patrons on one side of their surveillance area. The lifeguard stands up and attempts to look around and through the glare spot without success.

Which action should the lifeguard take in this situation?

a. Signal for assistance.

b. Keep trying to adjust their position.

c. Wait for the sun position to change.

d. Move patrons to an area not affected by glare.

a. Signal for assistance.

10. A lifeguard station response time testing should be completed within how many minutes?

a. 1 ½ to 2

b. 4 ½2 to 5

c. 6 to 8

d. 9 to 10

a. 1 ½ to 2

11. Which scenario describes preventive lifeguarding?

a. A lifeguard occasionally bends the rules for their friends

b. A lifeguard grabs a child's inflatable toy and removes it from the water

c. A lifeguard calls the facility manager to discuss a scheduling conflict

d. A lifeguard asks a patron to stop hyperventilating and explains why it is dangerous.

d. A lifeguard asks a patron to stop hyperventilating and explains why it is dangerous.

12. How should a lifeguard respond to a group of adolescents aggressively dunking one another?

a. Ask the patrons to leave the facility.

b. Loudly tell the patrons to stop dunking.

c. Keep blowing their whistle until the dunking stops.

d. Ask the patrons to stop dunking and briefly explain why it is dangerous.

d. Ask the patrons to stop dunking and briefly explain why it is dangerous.

13. Which factor should a lifeguard on duty in a zone that includes a swim team practice consider?

a. Swimming in lanes prevents swimmers from colliding.

b. The coach is responsible for surveillance and scanning of the team.

c. Competitive swimmers are still susceptible to experiencing a medical emergency and drowning.

d. Swim team members are well behaved, and rule enforcement is not needed.

c. Competitive swimmers are still susceptible to experiencing a medical emergency and drowning.

14. Which activity may the manager of an aquatic facility implement to promote safety for a day camp while they visit an aquatic facility?

a. Lifeguard administers swim tests.

b. Lifeguard allows chaperones to leave.

c. Lifeguard offers an optional safety orientation.

d.Lifeguard ensures that all swimmers wear life jackets.

a. Lifeguard administers swim tests.

15. Which written document guides the actions of lifeguards and other staff members of an aquatic facility in an emergency?

a. Blood-borne Pathogen Plan

b. Emergency Action Plan (EAP)

c. Federal and State Safety Plan

d. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Plan

b. Emergency Action Plan (EAP)

16. What role might a facility safety team member who is not a lifeguard perform when there is an emergency at the facility?

a. Complete the incident report

b. Help lifeguards understand the facility's emergency action plan (EAP)

c. Summon EMS professionals and bring them to the scene of the emergency

d. Perform patron surveillance if lifeguards are not able to return to duty

c. Summon EMS professionals and bring them to the scene of the emergency

17. For which critical reason should a rescuing lifeguard activate the emergency action plan (EAP)?

a. Provide crowd control

b. Alert other patrons of an emergency

c. Get the attention of the drowning person

d. Alert other lifeguards/members of the safety team

d. Alert other lifeguards/members of the safety team

18. Which step should a lifeguard take first when identifying that a person is drowning?

a. Clear the zone.

b. Gather emergency equipment.

c.Activate the emergency action plan.

d. Move the person to a safe exit point.

c.Activate the emergency action plan.

19. Which technique should a lifeguard use for an active front rescue?

a. Thrust the rescue tube into the person's chest to provide support.

b. Squeeze the rescue tube between their chest and the person's back.

c. Extend the rescue tube to the person and ask them to grab it.

d. Position the rescue tube below the person's shoulders so their head falls back into an open-airway position.

a. Thrust the rescue tube into the person's chest to provide support.

20. Which technique should a lifeguard use when towing a passive drowning person at or near the surface of the water to the exit point?

a. Use spinal motion restriction techniques.

b. Talk to the drowning person to keep them calm.

c. Lay the drowning person's head back in an open airway position.

d. Maintain the drowning person in a vertical position in the water to keep the head up.

c. Lay the drowning person's head back in an open airway position.

21. What technique should a lifeguard use when rescuing a passive drowning person submerged in shallow water?

a. Use a feet-first surface dive.

b. Quickly swim or walk to their side.

c. Facing the opposite direction of the person, reach down and grab their wrists.

d. Pick the person up and remain in place while turning them onto their back.

b. Quickly swim or walk to their side.

22. During a rapid extrication of a passive drowning person from the edge of the water, once the person is centered on the backboard, the rescuing and assisting lifeguards should move the backboard to which position when pulling it out of the water?

a. Horizontal

b. Near horizontal

c. Vertical

d. Near vertical

b. Near horizontal

23. After providing first aid to a patron who had a bleeding wound, a lifeguard properly removes their latex-free disposable gloves.Which statement demonstrates that the lifeguard understands how to properly dispose of these gloves?

a. "I don't need to throw them away if they look clean."

b. "If I use hot water and antibacterial soap to wash them, I can use the gloves again."

c. "I should use a red biohazard bag to throw away disposable gloves contaminated with blood."

d. "I can put the gloves in my hip pack and throw them away in the dumpster when I leave."

c. "I should use a red biohazard bag to throw away disposable gloves contaminated with blood."

24. In which situation is consent implied?

a. A 64-year-old is having chest pain and is awake and alert b. An 8-year-old is choking and their parent is not present

c. An unresponsive 12-year-old has a head laceration and their parent is present

d. A 23-year-old is alone, has a possible fracture from a fall and is awake and alert

b. An 8-year-old is choking and their parent is not present

25. For which reason should a lifeguard perform a rapid assessment during a medical emergency?

a. To check the patron from head to toe for signs and symptoms of illness or injury

b. To ask the patron for details about their health history

c. To determine the cause of the medical emergency

d. To identify and immediately address life-threatening conditions

d. To identify and immediately address life-threatening conditions

26. An adult is unresponsive after collapsing at the waterfront while playing with their children. After opening the airway, for how many seconds should a lifeguard simultaneously check for breathing and a pulse?

a. No more than 5 seconds

b. No more than 10 seconds

c. No more than 15 seconds

d. No more than 20 seconds

b. No more than 10 seconds

27. Where should a lifeguard check for a pulse on an infant?

a. Brachial pulse

b. Carotid pulse

c. Radial pulse

d. Femoral pulse

a. Brachial pulse

28. A passive drowning person has been extricated from the water. During the rapid assessment, the lifeguard determines that the person has no pulse and is in cardiac arrest.

What should be the lifeguard's first action for this passive drowning person?

a. Give 1 ventilation

b. Give 2 ventilations

c. Begin chest compressions

d. Put the person in the recovery position

b. Give 2 ventilations

29. Which action should the lifeguard perform to properly use a resuscitation mask on an adult?

a. Push down on the person's chin, place the mask and blow into the one-way valve.

b. Seal the mask, open the airway and blow into the one-way valve.

c. Inflate the mask, tilt the person's head and blow into the one-way valve.

d. Gently place the mask over the person's mouth and blow into the one-way valve.

b. Seal the mask, open the airway and blow into the one-way valve.

30. A lifeguard is using a resuscitation mask on a 6-year-old who is unresponsive and not breathing.

How should the lifeguard position the child's head to open the airway to give ventilations?

a. Neutral position

b. Slightly past-neutral position

c. Past-neutral position

d. Hyperextended position

b. Slightly past-neutral position

31. Which statement is correct about the proper use of a bag valve-mask (BVM) resuscitator to deliver ventilations?

a. Effective use of a BVM resuscitator requires two rescuers.

b. A BVM resuscitator is one-size-fits-all.

c. A BVM resuscitator can only be used with supplemental oxygen.

d. A BVM resuscitator should be squeezed completely with each ventilation.

a. Effective use of a BVM resuscitator requires two rescuers.

32. At what rate should a lifeguard provide ventilations to an infant in respiratory arrest?

a. 1 ventilation every 2 to 3 seconds

b. 1 ventilation every 6 seconds.*

c. 2 ventilations every 2 to 3 seconds

d. 1 ventilation every 10 seconds

a. 1 ventilation every 2 to 3 seconds

33. A lifeguard is performing a rapid assessment on an adult patron who suddenly collapsed. After opening the patron's airway, the lifeguard simultaneously checks for breathing and a puise, which are both absent.

Based on these signs, what medical emergency is the person experiencing?

a. Stroke

b. Seizure

c. Cardiac arrest

d. Respiratory arrest

c. Cardiac arrest

34. Which action is a lifeguard responsible for when implementing the Adult Cardiac Chain of Survival?

a. Providing support to the family

b. Providing advanced life support

c. Preventing major causes of cardiac arrest®

d. Defibrillating early with an AED

d. Defibrillating early with an AED

35. To ensure high-quality CPR, a lifeguard should keep any interruptions to chest compressions, such as when switching roles, to less than how many seconds?

a. 5

b. 10

c. 15

d. 20

b. 10

36. When providing CPR to an infant, to what depth should the lifeguard compress the infant's chest?

a. About ½ inch

b. About 1 inch

c. About 1 ½ inches

d. About 2 inches

c. About 1 ½ inches

37. When performing two-rescuer CPR on an infant, which technique should a lifeguard use for performing chest compressions?

a. Two-finger technique

b. Two-hand technique

c. Encircling thumbs technique

d. Chest thrust technique

c. Encircling thumbs technique

38. Lifeguards are performing two-rescuerSPR on an adult who developed sudden cardiac arrest during a swim competition. How should the lifeguard performing chest compressions signal for a role change?

a. Tap the lifeguard performing ventilations on the shoulder.

b. Move to the side of the lifeguard performing ventilations.

c. Say "Let's change" in place of number 30 at the end of the CPR cycle.

d. Say "Switch" in place of number 1 at the beginning of the CPR cycle.

d. Say "Switch" in place of number 1 at the beginning of the CPR cycle.

39. Where should a lifeguard place the AED pads on the chest of an adult in cardiac arrest?

a. Middle and lower left side

b. Middle and lower right side

c. Upper left side, lower right side

d. Upper right side, lower left side

d. Upper right side, lower left side

40. When performing two-rescuer CPR on an adult, what is the compression-to-ventilation ratio?

a. 15 compressions to 1 ventilation

b. 15 compressions to 2 ventilations

c. 30 compressions to 1 ventilation

d. 30 compressions to 2 ventilations

d. 30 compressions to 2 ventilations

41. What is the effect of using pediatric AED pads on an adult?

a. The shock delivered will correct the abnormal heart rhythm.

b. The shock delivered will not be sufficient to correct the abnormal heart rhythm.

c. The AED would not be able to deliver a shock.

d. The AED would require 4 pads to deliver a shock.

b. The shock delivered will not be sufficient to correct the abnormal heart rhythm.

42. How should a lifeguard respond to an adult who is responsive and choking?

a. Begin CPR.

b. Give continuous back blows.

c. Give continuous abdominal thrusts.

d. Give cycles of 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts.

d. Give cycles of 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts.

43. For a responsive 8-month-old with an obstructed airway, how should the lifeguard position the infant to give back blows?

a. Face down along the thigh, covering the infant's face

b. Face up along the thigh, covering the infant's face

c. Face down along the thigh with the infant's head lower than their body

d. Face up along the thigh with the infant's head even with their body

c. Face down along the thigh with the infant's head lower than their body

44. A lifeguard has completed a rapid assessment and is beginning to do a secondary assessment of a responsive child. The child is holding their right arm and grimacing.

What should be the lifeguard's next action?

a. Perform a scene size-up.

b. Check the right arm for signs of injury.

c. Assess for life-threatening conditions.

d. Simultaneously check for breathing and a pulse.

b. Check the right arm for signs of injury.

45. A child approaches the lifeguard and explains that their grandmother isn't feeling well.The grandmother, who says that she is feeling weak, sweaty and shaky, explains that she has diabetes and takes insulin.What action should a lifeguard take if the grandmother asks for sugar?

a. Give her candy containing fructose or sucrose.

b. Give her diet soda

c. Assist her with administering her insulin.

d. Advise her not to take sugar because her blood sugar may be high.

a. Give her candy containing fructose or sucrose.

46. Which action should a lifeguard take when providing care to a person who has a dry chemical burn on their hand?

a. Cover the burn until EMS arrives.

b. Apply a freezing compress to the burn.

c. Brush the chemical away with another object.

d. Flush the hand with warm water for no longer than 5 minutes.

c. Brush the chemical away with another object.

47. A child playing water basketball in the pool was hit in the head with the ball. The child is responsive and holding their head. The lifeguard recognizes that the child may have a concussion.

Which action should the lifeguard take to care for a child with a suspected concussion?

a. Extricate the child from the water using spinal motion restriction techniques.

b. Apply a cold pack to the child's forehead.

c. Obtain consent from the child's parent to administer aspirin.

d. Have the child stop all activity and make sure 9-1-1 is called.

d. Have the child stop all activity and make sure 9-1-1 is called.

48. For which situation should a lifeguard use extrication with spinal motion restriction to remove a person from the water?

a. A participant in a water aerobics class experiences a sudden illness, submerges and is rescued from the pool bottom. The person does not appear to be breathing.

b. A child at a waterpark is knocked over by a wave and hits their head on the bottom of the wave pool. When turned face-up, they do not appear to be breathing.

c. A competitor at a swim meet collides head-first with the wall and submerges. When rescued and turned face-up, they appear to be breathing

d. A child in a learn-to-swim class wanders into water that is too deep and starts to display active drowning behaviors.

c. A competitor at a swim meet collides head-first with the wall and submerges. When rescued and turned face-up, they appear to be breathing

49. How should a lifeguard perform the head splint technique for a person with a suspected spinal injury who is face up near the surface of the water?

a. Approach the person from the back.

b. Grasp the person from underneath their armpits.

c. Place the rescue tube under the person's armpits.

d. Firmly squeeze the person's arms against the head.

d. Firmly squeeze the person's arms against the head.

50. Which action should a lifeguard perform when rescuing a person with a suspected spinal injury?

a. Provide in-line stabilization.

b. Support the person at the surface of the water and wait for EMS professionals to arrive.

c. Instruct the person to answer questions by nodding their head.

d. Prioritize spinal motion restriction over providing resuscitation.

a. Provide in-line stabilization.