American Red Cross lifeguarding written exam

What is the primary responsibility of a lifeguard?

to prevent drowning and other injuries from occurring at your aquatic facility.

Provide three examples of how lifeguards fulfill their primary responsibility

monitoring activities in and near the water through patron servaliance, preventing injuries by minimizing or eliminating hazardous situations or behaviors, enforcing facility rules and regulations and educating patrons about them, recognizing and responding quickly and effectively to all the emergencies, administering first air and CPR including using an automated external defibrillator (AED) and if trained, administering emergency oxygen when needed, working as a team with other lifeguards, faculty, and staff management.

list 5 examples of secondary responsibilities (other tasks) that should never interfere with patron serveillance

testing the pool water chemistry, assist patrons by performing safety orientations, administering swim tests, fitting life jackets and other duties, cleaning or performing maintenance, completing records and reports, performing opening duties, closing duties, or facility safety checks and inspections.

list 5 characteristics of a professional lifeguard

knowledgable and skilled, reliable, mature, courteous and consistent, positive, professional, healthy and fit

lifeguards should:

always be attentive and sit or stand upright when on surveillance duty

a lifeguard is texting while on surveillance duty and fails to recognize a swimmer in distress. what legal principle could be a problem for this lifeguard?

negligence

list the 5 steps that a lifeguard should take when obtaining consent from an injured or ill person before providing first air or emergency care

state your name, state your level of training, ask if you may help, explain that you would like to assess them to find out what you think may be wrong or what you can do to help, explain what you plan to do.

what is the validity of an American Red Cross lifeguarding certification? how does an American Red Cross certified lifeguard get recertified?

(2 years.) annual certification training.

why is it important to attend a pre-season orientation and training

to ensure lifeguards understand their responsibilities and know how to perform their job, to ensure that they get practice with their facilities safety and rescue equipment and emergency action plans, to ensure they understand codes, rules and regulations of their facility.

what does EAP stand for

emergency action plan

why is it important for lifeguards and other team members to understand and practice the EAP

to know what role you'll play, to know how you all work as a team

what is the best practice for the frequency of in-service training participation at well-managed aquatic facilities

at least. hours of in service training each month

what are the benefits of regular, frequent in-service training

gives you a chance to maintain your knowledge and skills at a professional level and practice with the lifeguards at your facility.

list. topics that could be a discussed during in-service training

surveillance and recognition, water and land rescue skills, emergency response drills, decision making protocols, facility rules and regulations, customer service, records and reports and physical conditioning.

what items are considered to be personal protective equipment for a lifeguard

resuscitation mask and gloves. (may also include gowns, masks, shields, protective eyewear)

what equipment should be worn or carried by a lifeguard at all times while on duty? list at least two and include the reasons why this equipment should be worn or carried

rescue tube (keeping people afloat), resuscitation mask (one way mouth to mouth contact for oxygen) and gloves (protect yourself from infectious materials). (whistle: to signal other lifeguards)

what safety equipment/items should be easily accessible for a lifeguard while on duty? list at least two and describe how/when each item is used

back boards (to remove victims from the water when they are unable to exit on their own), rescue buoy (to throw to a person to keep them afloat), other personal protective equipment (PPE), other resuscitation equipment, an automated external defibrillator (AED), first aid supplies and rescue boards.

as a lifeguard you are responsible for?

consistently enforcing your facilities rules and regulations

list 5 common rules and regulations often posted at an aquatic facility

swim only when a lifeguard is on duty, swim diapers are required for small children or people with incontience, no swimming with open or infected wounds, obey lifeguard instructions at all times, no hyperventilating before swimming, underwater or breath holding contests, no sitting of playing near or with drains or suction fittings, dive only in designated areas, no glass containers in the pool area and locker rooms, no alcoholic beverages or drugs allowed.

explain what it means to be equipped and rescue ready

having like the proper things on you and being alert (not doing other things)

list each type of swimmers in distress or growing victims with three observable characteristics for each

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DISTRESSED SWIMMER: above the water, trying to support self by holding or clinging to a lane, line, expression for concern for personal safety, is breathing, floating, sculling or treading water, might wave for help, horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, little or no forward moving progress, less and less able to support self, able to call for help but might not do so, at the surface of water.

DROWNING VICTIM- ACTIVE: someone who is struggling to remain at the surface of the water, they are tying to keep their mouth above the water (instinctive drowning response). they may not be able to call out for help, works to keep their face above the water, may be horizontal face down position, has extended arms to the side or front pressing down for support, is positioned vertically in the water with an ineffective kick, might continued to struggle underwater once submerged, eventually will loose consciousness and stop moving.

DROWNING VICTIM - PASSIVE: no struggle/slipping underwater due to a medical condition such as having a heart, seizure, head injury, heart related illness, hypothermia, hyperventilation/prolonged underwater breath holding. they might float face down or near the surface or bottom, might be limp or have little movement, have no body action/no breathing, might look like their floating, may be face down, on one side, face up or at the bottom.

roving stations

when a facility is unusually crowded. a roving lifeguard is assigned to a specific zone, which is covered by another lifeguard on an elevated station. they walk around and are able to position themseleves where needed in the zone.

elevated stations

most effective posistion for a broad view. single lifeguard.

ground level stations

fixed location on a deck or in shallow water. quick response to be close to patrons so you can assist quickly and enforce safety rules.

floating station

watching swimmers from a water craft (boat like at camp) patrol on the outer edge of the swimming area, can be quickly to the rescue. could be a knack, rowboat.

a lifeguard on duty should be able to recognize and reach a drowning victim within?

30 seconds

the size of a zone should allow for a lifeguard to recognize an emergency, reach the victim, extricate and provide ventilations within___. explain why

1 1/2 - 2 minutes

total coverage

you are the only lifeguard while you are on duty, you have to scan the entire area, control the activities of patrons in and out of the water and recognize and respond to emergencies

zone coverage

the swimming area is divided into zones, with one guard for each zone, they should overlap

lifeguards should be actively ______ in their zones. why?

searching

you are guarding a lap swim with only two patrons. all of the following will help you deal with the monotony except for which?

swing your whistle lanyard

it is very hot in your facility and you are starting to doze on the stand. all of the following can help you stay alert except for which?

jump in the pool while on servallience duty to cool off

the glare of the lights on the water movements are making it hard to see all areas of your zone. what are all the acceptable options.

wear polarized sunglasses, change body position, reposition your lifeguard station (with approval)

why is it important for lifeguard managers to conduct drills to test zones

to test the effectiveness of their zones and make any modifications as necessary

___, which can be described as rapid, deep breathing, is a dangerous technique used by some swimmers to try to swim long distances underwater or to hold their breath for an extended period while submerged in one place. if you see these dangerous activities you must intervene.

voluntary hyperventilation

RID stands for

recognition, intrusion, distraction

recognition: recognizing a person in distress or drowning

intrusion: when secondary duties intrude on your primary duties

distraction: talking to people while on duty

during rotation both lifeguards must ensure their is no lapse in patron survellience, even for a brief moment. to ensure this, what should each lifeguard do.

the incoming lifeguard should:search the zone and be aware of the actity level in the zone you will be guarding, be searching your zone as you walk towards your station, checking all areas of the water from the bottom to the surface

the outgoing lifeguard should:inform of any situations that need special attention, confirm that the transfer is good and continue scanning as you walk to your next station

list three major strategies a lifeguard can use to prevent injuries at an aquatic facility

informing and educating patrons of risks that could cause injuries, enforcing the rules (ensuring that the facility is safe and providing effective patron servalience, educating and informing patrons and enforcing your facility rules) Communicating with patrons

list three things that can determine if a life jacket is appropriate for use

swimming ability, activity and water conditions

list two guidelines you should keep in mind when providing survalience for patrons

guarding areas for young children: older children may be too large for some structures or their play might be too rough for young children, toddlers who are still learning how to walk may fall easily, children often get lost (remind parents to watch their kids), you must watch out for children using the pool as a toilet, children do not think about sunburning or hypothermia

play structures: do not let the play structure become overcrowded, do not allow people to swim underneath them, watch to ensure patrons return to the surface after dropping from a floating feature, play close attention to kids playing in interactive water structures (they might run and fall) pay close attention to people min moving water, watch for overcrowding and horseplay, keep safe and orderly, watch for people who climb onto floating objects and jump back into the water, watch for people who throw toys and might hit people

identify three strategies for ensuring safe group visits

booking procedure, safety orientation, classification of swimmer abilities, designation of swimming areas, identification of group leaders or adult chaperones, supplemental group strategies (body checks, layer of protection)

why is it important to educate your patrons about safety in, on, and around the water

so that they can avoid injury

describe the steps in order to conduct a swim test

1. enter the water and completely submerge

2. recover to the surface and remain there for at least one minute (floating or treading)

3. rotate 360 degrees and orient to the exit

4. level off and propel oneself on the front or the back through the water for at least 25 yards

5. exit the water

why should an EAP be facility specific

different facility layouts, number of staff on duty at a time, location of backup lifeguards and other safety team members, equipment used and typical response times of the local emergency medical services (EMS) system.

provide three examples of situation based EAPs

water emergency- drowning victim - active

water emergency- drowning victim - passive

water emergency- spinal injury victim

water emergency - missing person

land emergency - injury or illness

others include: evacuations, sheltering in place, severe weather, chemical spills or leaks, power failures, violence, thefts in progress

what order

rescue, equipment check, signal, return to duty, report/advise/release

signal, rescue, report/advise/release, equipment check, return to duty

describe the actions of the additional safety team members listed below during a rescue where the victim is unresponsive and requires additional emergency care

other lifeguards: help

additional safety team members (front desk staff, maintenance staff) assisting with emergency rescues if trained, summoning EMS, bringing rescue equipment, clearing the swimming area, altering additional safety memebers, controlling bystanders, securing and protecting the area or evacuating the facility, notifying the chain of command (lifeguard supervisor, manager, etc.), meeting and directing EMS responders to the scene, collecting information for reports, dealing with questions from the media or patrons.

when completing a report you should

collect all factual information about what was seen, heard and the actions taken

who should deal with questions from the media after an incident and why

only management or designated spokesperson should talk to the media

why might a supervisor chose NOT to re-open a facility that was closed during an emergency? provide an example

depends on safety issues such as weather enough lifeguards are ready to return to survalience duty, all of the required equipment is in place or spills involving blood or other potentially infectious materials have been all cleaned up

members of the safety team, including non-lifeguard personnel should be

aquatics instructors, admissions personnel, retail, concession, administrative staff, maintenance, custodial, security people, supervisors, administrators (park rangers, game wardens, marine safety officers, etc.) TRAINED AND CERTIFIED IN FIRST AIR AND CPR/AED AT THE SAME LEVEL OF THE LIFEGUARD TEAM

explain each task

report: collecting all the required info about the victim such as name, address, contact info (before releasing the victim) then continue filling out the info regarding the rescue (do not record opinions or info given to you by someone else) Sometimes you'll take witness statements, remember what documentation for legal reasons is needed

advise: might give safety instructions to victim for next time, or tell them what they should do to treat themselves, might have EMS give advise (always document actions and advice on the incident report)

release: a victim may only be released when the rescue and emergency care provided by you and safety team is complete. you might release them under their own care or to the care of EMS. always document that the victim was released

list the general procedures in order for situations involving a water rescue

1. activate the emergency action plan (EAP

2. enter the water, if necessary

3. perform an appropriate rescue

4. move the victim to a safe exit point

5. remove the victim from the water

6. provide emergency care as needed

7. report, advise, release

what are some factors that should be considered when deciding how to enter the water

water depth, location and condition of the victim, location of other swimmers, design of the lifeguard station, your location, facility set up and type of equipment used (rescue board, rescue body, rescue tube)

what additional factors should be considered when deciding how to enter the water and why

the depth of the water, the height and position of the lifeguard station, obstacles in the water such as people, lane lines, and safety lines, the location and condition of the victim, the type of rescue equipment, the design of the facility

types of entries

slide in entry: safest, useful in shallow water, crowded pools or when the persons injury is close to the side of the pool

stride jump: only if the water is at least 5 feet deep and you are more than 3 feet above the water

compact jump: entering from a deck or height (when you are more than 3 feet above water the water must be at least 5 feet deep

run and swim entry: entering from a gradual slope (wave pool or shoreline)

what are the two most common assists and when should each be used

the most common way that lifeguards help patrons who are in trouble in shallow water

simple assist: can be used in shallow water to help a person stand. rescue a victim who is submerged and within reach

reaching assist: assist a distressed swimmer who is close to the side of the pool by extending a rescue tube. the swimmer is able to grab for it.

rescue and extrication methods

active victim front rescue: a drowning victim facing towards you

active victim rear rescue: a drowning victim facing away from you

passive victim front rescue: face down, unresponsive, no head injury facing towards you

passive victim rear rescue: face down unresponsive no head injury away from you

-using a backboard

-quick removal for a small victim

-walking assist

-beach drag

-rescue board

what are the four core objectives in any rescue situation

ensure the safety of the victim, yourself and others in the vicinity. this includes the entry, approach, rescue, removal, and care provided.

use a rescue technique that is appropriate and effective for the situation

provide and appropriate assessment always treating life threatening conditions first

handle the rescue with a sense of urgency

touching solid dressings that are contaminated with potentially infectious material is an example of

indirect contact

examples of work practice controls include

dispose of sharp objects, avoid splashing, spraying or splattering droplets of blood or other infectious materials when performing procedures, remove and dispose soiled protective clothing asap, clean and disinfect all equipment or work surfaces, use good hand hygiene, don't eat drink smoke or apply lip cosmetics or touch the eye mouth or nose when an infectious area is near, isolate contaminated areas for others

the OSHA recommended solution to use disinfecting contaminated or soiled equipment and surfaces is

1 part bleach to 9 parts of water

place the following general procedures for injury or sudden illness on land in order

1. size up the scene

2. perform a primary assessment

3. summon EMS

4. perform secondary assessment

5. provide care for conditions found

6. report, advise, and release

describe 6 actions you should take or determinations that you should make while performing a scene size up

1.use your senses to check for hazards that could present a danger to you or the victim, such as unusual odors

2. use appropriate PPE

3. determine the number of injured or ill victims

4. determine the nature of the illness or what cause the injury

5. form an initial impression that may indicate a life threatening emergency

4. determine what additional resources may be needed

provide a situation and specific example of when you should move a victim who is on land

when emergency occurs in the water

for land only move them after you have conducted an assessment and provided care

move a victim only if: you are faced with immediate danger, you need to get to other victims who have more serious injuries or illnesses, it is necessary to provide appropriate care (moving to perform CPR)

if you are alone when responding to someone who is ill when should you call first or care first

call first: any adult or child about 12 years of age or older who is unresponsive, a child or infant who suddenly collapsed that you witnessed, an unresponsive child or infant known to have heart problems

care first: an unresponsive child who you did not see collapse, a victim suspected of drowning

how do you tell the difference between a child, adult, and infant

child: 1-12 years old (1-puberty)

infant: younger than 1 years old

adult: 12 years or older

when would you give 2 ventilations before starting CPR:

for unresponsive person who is not breathing or no pulse to begin CPR

if u find a victim unresponsive as a result of drowning

if the victim is not breathing, no pulse, and not in the water (cardiac emergency)

lack of oxygen can eventually stop the heart (cardiac arrest) and prevent blood from reaching the brain and other vital organs in as little as _______ minutes after submerging. brain cell damage or death begins to occur within ____ to ______ minutes

3 minutes

4 to 6 minutes

respiratory distress

a victim who is having difficulty breathing

respiratory arrest

a victim who has stopped breathing but has a pulse

list 5 possible causes of respiratory distress

a partually obstructed airway, illness, chronic conditions (asthma, emphysema, congestive heart failure), electrocution, heart attack, injury to the head, chest, lungs, or abdomen, allergic reactions, drug overdose, poisoning, emotional distress, anaphylactic shock

when caring for a person in respiratory distress _______

maintain open airway, summon EMS, help the victim to rest in a comfortable position that makes breathing easier, reassure and comfort the victim, assist the victim with any of their medication, keep the victim from getting chilled or over heated, administer emergency oxygen and monitor it if trained and available

list 5 possible causes or respiratory arrest

drowning, obstructed airway, injury to the head, chest, lungs, abdomen, illness, respiratory conditions, congestive heart failure, heart attack, coronary heart disease, allergic reactions, electrocution, shock, poisoning, drug overdose, emotional distress

when checking to see if someone is breathing you should

see if the victims chest clearly rises and falls

the normal breathing rate for an adult is between ____ and _____ breathes per minute

12 and 20 breaths per minute

what is a lifeguards objective when caring for a drowning victim who is not breathing

get the victims mouth and nose out of the water, open the airway and given ventilations as quickly as possible

when giving ventilations to an adult who is not breathing but has a definite pulse, you should give how many ventilations

1 ventilation every 5-6 seconds lasting about 1 second

when giving ventilations to an child who is not breathing but has a definite pulse, you should give how many ventilations

1 ventilation every 3 seconds for one second

what should you do if you are giving ventilations and the victims chest does not rise after the first breath

reopen the airway, make a seal and try a second breath. then move to compressions

describe the appropriate care for a conscious person with an airway obstruction (chocking)

get consent (identify yourself), encourage them to cough it up, 5 back blows, 5 abdominal thrusts

if a conscious chocking victim becomes unresponsive what should you do

lower the victim to the ground and get an AED and summon EMS. begin CPR with chest compressions, give ventilations

30 compressions, 2 ventilations

describe the 5 links in the cardiac chain of survival for adults

1. recognition of cardiac arrest and activation of the emergency response system

2. early car to keep oxygen rich blood flowing and to help delay brain damage and death

3. early debrilliation to help restore an effective heart rhythm and significantly increase the victims chance for survival

4. advanced life support using advanced medical personnel who can provide the proper tools and medication needed to continue the lifesaving care

5. integrated post cardiac arrest care to optimize ventilation and oxygenation and treat hypotension immediately after the return of the spontaneous circulation

for each minute CPR and defibrillation are delayed, the victims chance of survival is reduced by about __ percent

10%

what should you do if you think someone is having a heart attack

summon EMS and provide prompt care, ask open ended questions such as how are you feeling and hear the symptoms in the victims own words.

take immediate action and summon Ems, have the victim stop any activity and rest in a comfortable position, loosen tight or uncomfortable clothing, closely monitor the victim until EMS the over. comfort the victim, be prepared to perform CPR and use AED

signs of cardiac arrest include

sudden collapse, unresponsiveness, abnormal breathing, no pulse

what is the objective of CPR

to perform a combination of effective chest compressions and ventilations to circulate blood that contains oxygen the victims brain and other vital organs

compressions given at the correct rate of at least _____ per minute to a maximum of _____ per minute

100, 120

what is the appropriate compression depth when providing CPR to an adult

2 inches but no more than 2.4 inches

when providing two rescuer CPR, when should rescuers change positions

at least every 2 minutes (5 cycles of 30 compressions 2 ventilations)

you arrive on the scene when another lifeguard is performing CPR, what should you do first

confirm weather EMS has been called, if they haven't, call, if they have get the AED or help perform CPR

when performing 2 rescuer CPR on an infant, describe how lifeguards should modify the following

compression to ventilation ratio: 15:2 not 30:2

the compression technique: encircling thumbs technique

provide 3 examples why a lifeguard could or should stop CPR

you see an obvious sign of life (normal breathing or movement), an AED is ready to analyze, other trained responders EMS is there, you are too exhausted to continue,. the scene becomes unsafe

true or false: it is not appropriate to use an AED on a victim who is pregnant and why

YOU CAN USE AN AED ON PREGNANT WOMAN

when completing a secondary assessment, lifeguards use SAMPLE to gather a brief history of the responsive victim, what does the mnemonic SAMPLE stand for

signs and symtoms

allergies

medications

pertinent past medical history

last oral intake

events leading up to the incident

list 5 symptoms of sudden illness

changes in LOC, nausea or vommiting, difficulty speaking or slurred speech, numbness or weakness, loss of vision or blurred vision, changes in breathing, changes in skin color, sweating, persistent pressure or pain, diarrhea, paralysis, severe headache

list the general precautions for injury or sudden illness on land

care for any life threatening conditions first, monitor the victims condition and watch for changes in LOC, keep the victim comfortable and reassure them, keep the victim from getting chilled or overheated, do not give them anything to eat or drink unless they are capable of it, care for other problems that develop (such as vommiting)

how should you provide care for a victim experiences a diabetic emergency

give them sugar 15-20 grams, jelly beans, organge juice, whole milk

when would you summon EMS personnel for a victim of a diabetic emergency. provide 2 examples

the person is unresponsive, the person is responsive but not folly awake and not able to swallow, the person doesn't feel better within 10-15min or feels worse, a form of sugar can't be found immediately

list 3 reasons why you should summon EMS personnel for a victim who is having, or had a seizure

it occurs in the water, its the persons first one, it lasts more than 5 minutes, they have repeated seizures with no lucid period, they are injured, the cause is unknown, the person is pregnant, they have diabetes, they fail to regain consciousness afterwards, they are elderly and may have had a stroke