Lifeguard Test YMCA

How manyseconds should it take for lifeguards to reach the farthest area of their zones?

How manyseconds should it take for lifeguards to reach the farthest area of their zones?

20 seconds

Q-1-2

the YMCA accident prevention system

advantages to using Q-1-2

1. helps lifeguards be consistent and fair
2. helps reduce stress of enforcing rules
3. allows lifeguard to remain focused on pool

PACA

problem, alternatives, consequences, action; YMCA preventitive decision-making model

examlpe of a Q-1-2 statement

"I saw you running. That is unsafe because the deck is wet. Please walk."

safety swim test

conducted in all special events in the pool

lifeguard communication systems

- whistle (one blast for swimmers, two blasts for other lifeguards)
- hand signals
- resuce equipment signals
- flags
- radios
- telephones
- megaphones
- air hornes
- safety technology

physical conditions that affect swimming ability

- panic
- cramps
- swimming after eating
- breath-holding and hyperventilation

swim band

indicates that a child is capable of being able to swim in deep water; green means deep water; yellow means shallow water; red means nonswimmer

fatigue busters for lifeguards

- well rested, well hydrated, and eat a nutritious meal
- drink plenty of water
- maintain good posture
- sun and wind protection
- UVA and UVB protection umbrellas
- rotate tasks or areas
- take sufficient breaks
- periodically change body positions
- adjust position to offset glare and obstructions
- wear sunglasses
- perform moderate exercise between rotations

more suseptible to becoming a victim

- very young and very old
- very thin and very heavy
- unfamiliar or uncomfortable with environment
- parents holding children
- unstable/intoxicated individuals
- people with flotation devices
- physical impairment
- improper dress or equipment

early warning signs

- weak stroke
- hair in the eyes
- glassy eyes
- two heads together
- hand waving
- moving towards rocks or a pier
- erratic behavior
- clinging to objects for security
- neutral to negative bouyancy
- inability to respond verbally

distressed swimmer signs

- kicking without forward progress
- being vertical in the water
- tilting head back to aid with breathing
- holding arms out to side
- trying to reach safety
- facing side of pool or waterfront
- trying to wave or shout for help

scanning methods

- head counting
- grouping
- mental filing
- risk-profile matching
- tracking
- counting seconds
- sorting while scanning
- scanning systematically

inattentional blindness

when you fail to notice something happen in front of you because you are focused intensely on something else

characteristics of drowing victims

- inable to call for help and panicked facial expression
- head back and body low in the water
- arms extended out from the sides and moving up and down
- little or no support from the kick
- vertical position facing nearest source of assistance

How quickly can a person slip below the surface?

less than 20 seconds for children; less than 60 seconds for adults; both quietly

progression of drowning

1. initial apnea (10-60 seconds) air is cut off to lungs, begins to sink
2. dyspnea (60-90 seconds) body and head lower and water begins to enter lungs
3. terminal apnea (90 seconds-3 minutes) victim becomes unconscious and stops breathing
4. cardiac arrest (3-5 minutes) heart cannot function without oxyegn and irreversible brain damage occurs

Lifeguard 1

identifies victim, activates EAP, begins rescue

EAP

ensures that all employees know how to follow a plan and respond quickly; during this the lifeguard is the sole authority of the pool or waterfront; include five steps

Lifeguard 2

takes over scanning for Lifeguard 1 and directs and monitors patrons to the locker room

Lifeguard 3

calls 911 and works with EMS and activates the crisis communication plan

Lifeguard 4

manages the emergency equipment and assists Lifeguard 1

nonswimming rescue guidelines

- react calmly and quickly
- maintain visual contact with victim
- find appropriate rescue equipment
- establish a firm base for your rescue
- establish communication with victim
- bring victim to safety
- provide necessary first aid or call for help
- complete accident or incident report

rescue stroke/survival float

take a breath and submerge in a relaxed position

feetfirst surface dive

used to get below surface and rescue submerged victim best used when not sure of the water depth or prescence of debris

arm-over-arm surface dive

speeds rate of descent to submerged victim if in deep water

extension and reaching assists

used for distressed swimmers who are near enough to be reached from side of pool or dock

throwing assists

used if the distance to a distressed swimmer is beyond the range of an extension assist

personal equipment

- appropriate swimsuit
- shirt or uniform
- towel
- whistle
- water bottle
- rescue pack
- rescue tube or buoy
- swim fins, mask or snork for waterfront
- inflateble resuce tube

touch-and-go entry

used in all depths of water; one hand on edge and jump in

compact jump

used when entering from a heightened position such as lifeguard stand

stride jump

in deep water from low height; leap into pool

shallow dive entry

time and speed are crucial; sacrifice visual contact for greater momentum; water must be at least 5 feet deep

waveless entry

if the victim has a spinal injury, don't cause waves, enter using equally weight on your hands on a flotation device and slide forward into the water

submerge defense

when a distressed swimmer grans the lifeguard during a rescue and the lifeguard takes a breath, submerges and pushes the tube or buoy up into the victim

head-splint technique

stabilizes victim's head and neck using another lifeguard to trap the head

standing victim with potential spinal

grasp victim's head by placing hands on each side of the victim's face near or over the ears

first-aid kit

- bag-valve mask
- manual suction device
- resuscitation mask with one way valves
- non-latex disposable gloves
- blankets, sheets, towels, pillows
- scissors, tweezers, safety pins
- adhesive bandages, gauze, etc
- antibacterial hand wash
- eye-wash solution
- antiseptic wipes
- disposable drinking cups
- glucose, sugar, or candy
- cold packs
- first aid guide
- incident/accident report forms
- emergency phone numbers

universal precuations

1. use a barrier
2. wash your hands
3. clean up
4. keep contaminated objects/waste separate
5. avoid contamination
6. launder or dispose of soiled linens seperately
7. cover wounds
8. provide CPR using a barrier
9. protect yourself

hypothermia

abnormally low body temperature, usually caused by being in cold water for an extended period of time

abrasion (scrape)

remove all debris, wash away from wound with soup and water

incision (cut) / laceration (tearing)

control bleeding, wash wound

puncture (stab)

do not remove impaled objects

avulsion (torn off)

control bleeding, send avulsed part to medical facility

epilepsy

chronic condition of teh nervous system in which electrical activity in the brain causes a seizure

first aid for heat exhaustion

- get person out of heat
- provide water or sports drink
- have them lie down and raise legs 6 to 12 inches
- loosen restriction clothing
- cool with moist cold towels or cool shower
- use a fan to lower body temperature
- place cold compresses on victim's neck, groin, and armpits

manual suction device

allows you to remove foreign material from a person's airway

What do you do if the AED does not advise a shock?

continue CPR and follow other AED instructions

lawsuit

legal procedure by which an individual pursues legal remed; years of stress and time

negligence

untintentional breach of a legal duty, causing damage that was reasonably foreseeable and without which breech that damage would not have occured

standard of care

the level of ordinary care, practice, and conduct within a profession and teh action likely to be taken by a resaonable and prudent professional

HIPAA

protects privacy of health information

promoting safety

primary responisibility of a lifeguard; enforced by preventing accidens and by responding to emergencies quicly and efficiently

facility and injury chart

deermines where and what types of injuries are ocuring in order to prevent them and improve injury response

accident report

used when first aid was required

incident report

used when first aid was not required

signs of rip currents

- different color
- waves may be large and choppy
- may have an offshore plume of turbid water
- may contain floating debris
- stronger force after waves have come ashore
- people swimming are drawn in
- may have up to three feeder currents

spinals in moving water

victim's head upstreem, victim's feet downstream

wave pool emergency

do not evacuate the wave pool

identify swimming areas in waterfront

buoys, safety floats, lifelines, and flags

circular search pattern

search flat-bottomed aresas with little current

grid search pattern

search areas with irregular bottoms

parallel search method

search areas with irregular shoreline

diagonal search method

search areas where strong currents are likely to have influenced the search

tornado alert

1. watch
2. warning
3. siren

off the stand duties

- deck (chairs, entry and exit, floors)
- pool equipment and features (filters, drains, ladders, lane lines, boards, starting blocks, slides, signage)
- water (clarity, chemical readings, temperature)
- equipment (radio, phones, first aid, communication)
- general environment (air temp, water fountains, lihts, shower and locker rooms)

CAUSE DRIVEN LEADERSHIP Competency Model

ymca model for career development

chemical safety

- never smoke near chemicals
- wear a mask
- avoid inhaling chemicals
- avoid spilling chemicals
- avoid mixing chemmicals
- always add acid to water rather than water to acid
- dissolve powders or crystals in warm water before adding to pool
- add to pool when pool is NOT in use
- avoid adding chemicals to vacuum filters, skimmers, or gutters

normal pH

7.2-7.5

preventing fecal contamination

- infants and preschoolers must wear plastic covers with tight elastic legs
- do not enter if you have diarrhea
- wash your child thoroughly before entering
- do not swallow pool water
- change diapers in the restroom, not poolside
- take child to restroom often
- wash hands with soa and water after using restroom or changing diapers

valid for 2 years

YMCA lifeguard; YMCA emergency oxygen; YMCA basic first aid

valid for 1 year

YMCA CPR licensce