ARC Lifeguarding March 25 updated version

Primary responsibility of a lifeguard

To prevent drowning and injuries from occurring, primarily by conducting surveillance.

Professional appearance while conducting surveillance

Wearing the lifeguard uniform properly.

Immediate action when hearing thunder

Clear patrons from the water.

Slide-in entry

Useful in shallow water, crowded pools, or when the patron with a head, neck or spinal injury is close to the side of the pool.

Active drowning person

A person struggling to keep their face above the water, extending their arms to their sides, pressing down for support, and not making any forward progress.

Distressed swimmer

A person who can keep their face out of the water, call or wave for help, and maintain a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal body position.

Stride jump

Used only if the water is at least 5 feet deep and the lifeguard is no more than 3 feet above the water.

Compact jump

Used to enter water from the deck or from a height, depending on the depth of the water.

Run-and-swim entry

Used to enter the water from a gradual slope, such as a shoreline or wave pool.

Water depth for slide-in entry

4 feet.

Time an active drowning person can stay at the surface

20 to 60 seconds.

Behaviors demonstrating lack of professionalism

Using a mobile phone, socializing with patrons, and slouching in the lifeguard chair.

First action at the sound of thunder

Immediately clear patrons from the water and move them inside.

Characteristics of a distressed swimmer

Able to float, scull, or tread water.

Actions not appropriate for lifeguards during thunder

Counting the seconds between claps of thunder, monitoring weather reports, or allowing patrons to remain in the water.

Situations requiring slide-in entry

Shallow water, crowded pools, or when a patron has a head, neck, or spinal injury.

Definition of a passive drowning person

Not explicitly defined in the provided notes.

Importance of maintaining good posture

Demonstrates professionalism while conducting surveillance.

Actions to take if water is crowded

Avoid compact jump; use slide-in entry instead.

Lifeguard's secondary responsibilities

Administering swim tests, assisting patrons with questions, and ensuring resuscitation equipment is in good working order.

Passive drowning person

A person who appears unresponsive in the water at the surface, sinking, or on the bottom.

Lifeguard scanning frequency

A lifeguard should complete a scan of their entire zone every 30 seconds.

Effective scanning technique

The lifeguard should move their head and eyes and look directly at each patron in their zone.

Sun glare response

If visibility is not improved by adjusting position, a lifeguard should signal for assistance.

Lifeguard station response time testing

Should be completed within 1 ½ to 2 minutes.

Preventive lifeguarding scenario

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

Spinal injury symptoms

A person with a potential spinal injury may complain of dizziness, nausea, or blurred vision.

Lifeguard action in glare

A lifeguard should signal for assistance if they cannot see patrons due to sun glare.

Purpose of lifeguard station response time testing

To determine whether the size and shape of the zone enables lifeguards to reach a drowning person in the farthest or deepest part of the zone.

Purpose of scanning

To ensure the lifeguard stays focused and fully engaged, not daydreaming or letting their attention drift.

Lifeguard's body position for visibility

A lifeguard should adjust their body position or stand up as needed to gain better visibility.

Behavior of a passive drowning person

May appear to be floating or drifting at or near the surface of the water.

Lifeguard's focus during scanning

Should not focus most of their attention on high-risk patrons while occasionally glancing at other patrons.

Actions to avoid during scanning

A lifeguard should not sit still to prevent too much distracting body movement.

Lifeguard's mental preparation

Should not mentally rehearse how to perform a rescue while scanning.

Lifeguard's action when visibility is compromised

They may need to work with the manager to change to a different type of lifeguard station.

Hyperventilating patron

A lifeguard should explain to the patron why hyperventilating is dangerous.

Child's inflatable toy removal

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

Scheduling conflict communication

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

Preventive Lifeguarding

A lifeguard's role to prevent emergencies by acting quickly to stop potentially dangerous behaviors and explaining why they are dangerous.

Customer Service in Lifeguarding

Providing good customer service by politely addressing patrons and not simply removing items from the water.

Role Modeling Safety

Lifeguards should demonstrate safety-conscious behaviors to patrons.

Consistent Rule Enforcement

Lifeguards should enforce all rules consistently with every patron.

Responding to Aggressive Dunking

A lifeguard should ask patrons to stop dunking and briefly explain why it is dangerous.

Medical Emergencies in Competitive Swimming

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

Lifeguard Responsibilities During Practice

The lifeguard on duty is responsible for surveillance and scanning, not the coach.

Promoting Safety for Day Camps

Lifeguard administers swim tests to assess swimming abilities of group members.

Safety Orientation Requirement

Management may require the group to attend a safety orientation, not make it optional.

Life Jacket Requirement

Group members who cannot demonstrate the required level of water competency must wear life jackets.

Emergency Action Plan (EAP)

A written document that guides the actions of lifeguards and other staff members in an emergency, specific to each facility.

Blood-borne Pathogen Plan

A written document related to the management of blood-borne pathogens in an aquatic facility.

Federal and State Safety Plan

A plan that outlines safety regulations and procedures at the federal and state level.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Plan

A plan that ensures workplace safety and health regulations are followed.

Lifeguard's Role in Supervision

Lifeguards must provide an additional level of supervision and assist with discipline during group visits.

Whistle Use in Lifeguarding

Lifeguards should use their whistle judiciously to ensure patrons do not ignore it.

Behavioral Enforcement

Lifeguards should ask patrons to stop dangerous behaviors and explain the possible consequences.

Collisions in Swimming Lanes

Even strong swimmers may collide while swimming in lanes during practices and competitive events.

Chaperone Attendance Requirement

Chaperones or group leaders must be in attendance during group visits for additional supervision.

Lifeguard's Role in Safety Activities

The lifeguard's role is to ensure that safety activities are followed and to alert management if they are not.

Facility Safety Team Member Role

A member who is not a lifeguard may be responsible for summoning EMS professionals and bringing them to the scene of an emergency.

Critical Reason for Activating EAP

To alert other lifeguards and members of the safety team of an emergency.

First Step for Lifeguard in Drowning Situation

Activate the emergency action plan.

Active Front Rescue Technique

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

Towing Passive Drowning Person Technique

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

Incident Report Responsibility

Members of the safety team who are not lifeguards are not responsible for completing the incident report.

Crowd Control in EAP

Although crowd control may be a task assigned when an EAP is activated, it is not a critical reason for activating the emergency action plan.

First Steps After Activating EAP

Enter the water, perform the appropriate rescue, remove the person from the water, move the person to a safe exit point, provide emergency care as needed, report, advise and release.

Active Rear Rescue Technique

Squeezing the rescue tube between the lifeguard's chest and the person's back is used for an active rear rescue.

Reaching Assist Technique

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

Passive Front Rescue Technique

Positioning the rescue tube below the person's shoulders so their head falls back into an open-airway position is used for a passive, not active, front rescue.

Spinal Motion Restriction Techniques

These techniques should be used when necessary, but are not specified for towing a passive drowning person.

Communication with Drowning Person

Talking to the drowning person to keep them calm is not the primary technique when towing.

Vertical Position in Water

Maintaining the drowning person in a vertical position in the water to keep the head up is not the correct technique for towing.

Emergency Care

Providing emergency care as needed is part of the steps after rescuing a drowning person.

Reporting After Emergency

Reporting, advising, and releasing is part of the lifeguard's responsibilities after an emergency.

Summoning EMS Professionals

The facility safety team member who is not a lifeguard may be responsible for summoning EMS professionals.

Alerting Other Patrons

Alerting other patrons of an emergency is not a critical reason for a lifeguard to activate the EAP.

Attention of Drowning Person

Getting the attention of the drowning person is not a critical reason for activating the emergency action plan.

Safety Team Member Responsibilities

Safety team members who are not lifeguards are not responsible for helping lifeguards understand the EAP.

Emergency Equipment Gathering

Gathering emergency equipment is not the first step a lifeguard should take when identifying that a person is drowning.

Zone Clearing

Clearing the zone is not the first step to take when identifying a drowning person.

Rescue approach for passive drowning person submerged in shallow water

Quickly swim or walk to their side.

Feet-first surface dive

Used if the person is below the water surface and beyond the lifeguard's reach.

Correct position for lifeguard during rescue

Face the same direction as the person and reach down and grab under their armpits.

Backboard position during rapid extrication

Should be leveled to a near-horizontal position when pulling it out of the water.

Proper disposal of latex-free disposable gloves

Should be thrown away in a red biohazard bag if contaminated with blood.

Implied consent situation

Occurs when an 8-year-old is choking and their parent is not present.

Rapid assessment purpose during medical emergency

To identify and immediately address life-threatening conditions.

Lifeguard's action after providing first aid

Properly removes their latex-free disposable gloves.

Consent requirement for care

Must be obtained from an awake and alert adult or the parent of a child under 18.

Signs of illness or injury

Checked from head to toe during a rapid assessment.

Details about health history

Not the primary focus during a rapid assessment.

Cause of medical emergency

Not determined during a rapid assessment.

Lifeguard's position when rescuing

Should not remain in place but move forward while turning the person onto their back.

Biohazardous waste

Includes disposable gloves used for caring for a patron with a bleeding wound.

Awake and alert adult

Must give consent before a lifeguard can perform an assessment or provide care.

Unresponsive child care

Requires parental consent if the parent is present.

Vertical or near vertical pulling

Should not be attempted when pulling a person out of the water.

Correct answer for passive drowning rescue

Quickly swim or walk to their side.

Correct answer for backboard position

Near horizontal.