Lifeguarding – Final Exam Vocabulary Review

Forty vocabulary flashcards covering essential lifeguarding terms, rescue techniques, emergency care ratios, and medical concepts found throughout the final written exam.

10/20 Scanning

A lifeguard guideline: recognize a guest in distress within 10 seconds and reach that guest within 20 seconds.

10/20 Protection Standard

The expectation that lifeguards continuously meet the 10-second recognition and 20-second reach rule while guarding a zone.

Primary Check

Initial assessment that looks for pulse, breathing, and severe bleeding immediately after ensuring scene safety.

Secondary Check

A head-to-toe examination for additional injuries or conditions once life-threatening problems are ruled out.

Surveying the Scene

Scanning for sharp objects, hazardous materials, or environmental dangers before providing care.

Emergency Action Plan (EAP)

A facility’s written procedure that lifeguards activate to summon additional help during an emergency.

Assist (Water Rescue)

Helping a conscious guest without fully entering the water—e.g., extending a rescue tube while maintaining 10/20 coverage.

Rear Hug Rescue

Technique used on a distressed swimmer facing away from the guard on the surface of the water.

Front Drive Rescue

Surface rescue approach from the front toward an active guest facing the lifeguard.

Duck Pluck Rescue

Reaching below the surface from the deck or edge to pull up a submerged guest within arm’s reach.

Rapid Extrication

Quick removal of an unresponsive guest from the water using a backboard, minimizing delay in care.

Vise Grip

Spinal-stabilization hold that squeezes a guest’s arms against the head to immobilize the neck in the water.

Rescue Breathing

Providing ventilations to a guest who has a pulse but is not breathing (e.g., one breath every 5 sec for children, every 3 sec for infants).

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

Cycles of chest compressions and ventilations that supply blood and oxygen to vital organs until advanced care arrives.

CPR Adult Ratio

30 compressions to 2 breaths for single or multiple rescuers.

CPR Child/Infant One-Rescuer Ratio

30 compressions to 2 breaths.

CPR Child/Infant Two-Rescuer Ratio

15 compressions to 2 breaths.

Passive Drowning

When a guest slips underwater and becomes unconscious without struggle or active movement.

Active Drowning

A conscious guest on the surface struggling to breathe and stay above water.

Bag Valve Mask (BVM)

Two-rescuers device that delivers high-concentration oxygen; squeeze only until the chest visibly rises.

Resuscitation Mask

Pocket mask providing a barrier for rescue breaths; poor seal and airway positioning are common user errors.

Automated External Defibrillator (AED)

Portable device that analyzes heart rhythm and can deliver a shock; chest must be dry and clear of patches or implants.

Manual Suction (V-Vac)

Hand-powered device used to remove vomit or fluids from a guest’s airway before giving ventilations.

Agonal Breaths

Occasional, gasping, ineffective respirations that are treated as no breathing.

Recovery Position

Side-lying posture that keeps an airway open and allows fluids to drain from an unconscious but breathing guest.

Brachial Artery (Infant)

Pulse point located on the inside of the upper arm between the shoulder and elbow.

Standard Precautions

Safety measures such as gloves, masks, hand washing, and proper disposal of contaminated materials to prevent disease spread.

Soft-Tissue Injury Care

Glove up, apply direct pressure, bandage, and activate EAP if bleeding is not controlled; do not remove embedded objects.

Heart Attack

Death of heart muscle due to blocked blood supply; signs include chest pain, breathing difficulty, dizziness.

Stroke

Disruption of blood flow to the brain; warning signs are facial droop, arm weakness, speech difficulty, sudden headache.

Muscle, Bone, & Joint Injury Indicators

Deformity, tenderness, swelling, bruising, and inability to move the affected area.

Hypoxic Convulsions

Fourth stage of drowning characterized by seizure-like activity due to lack of oxygen.

Shallow Water Blackout

Loss of consciousness caused by hyperventilation and prolonged breath-holding; common among swimmers playing games.

Heat Cramps

Early heat emergency marked by painful muscle spasms due to electrolyte imbalance.

Heat Exhaustion

Moderate heat emergency with cool, moist skin, dizziness, and rapid pulse; move guest to shade and give cool fluids.

Heat Stroke

Life-threatening heat emergency with hot, dry skin, altered mental state, and possible seizures; activate EAP immediately.

Allergic Reaction Protocol

Activate EAP and assist guest with prescribed medication such as an epinephrine autoinjector.

Poisoning Response

Activate EAP for a conscious guest who is vomiting and having breathing difficulty; monitor airway and prepare for EMS.

Vigilance Awareness Training

Drills using silhouettes, mannequins, or live testers to keep guards alert and detection skills sharp.

Assistance Signal (Raised Fist)

In-water lifeguard gesture indicating the need for help from another lifeguard.