Lifeguard Test - Red Cross Exam Questions
and Correct Answers 2026
You are providing care to a patron who started choking on some food. The
victim becomes unresponsive. Which of the following should you do first?
a. Attempt to give ventilations to the victim.
b. Lower the victim to the ground and open their airway.
c. Look inside the victim's mouth and use your fingers to remove the obstruction.
d. Lower the victim to the ground and begin CPR starting with chest
compressions. - answer D
Where should you place your hands when giving chest compressions to an
infant during CPR?
a. One hand on the chin and one hand on the chest.
b. One hand on the chin and two or three fingers on the center of the chest.
c. One hand on the forehead and two or three fingers on the center of the chest.
d. One hand on the forehead and one hand on the chest. - answer C
When giving abdominal thrusts to an adult who is choking, where should you
position your fist?
a. In the center of the breastbone
b. In the middle of the abdomen, just above the navel
c. In the middle of the abdomen, just below the navel
d. On the rib cage - answer B
A person has been injured and is responsive. You should:
a. Have the victim walk with you to the first aid station so you can obtain
consent and provide care.
b. Provide care immediately based on the victim's condition.
c. Speak with the victim to find out what happened and check for non-life-
threatening conditions.
d. Obtain consent, check the victim for life-threatening conditions and
,speak with the victim to find out what happened. - answer D
Your initial impression reveals severe life-threatening bleeding in an adult
victim who appears to be unresponsive. Your next step should be:
a. Open the airway and check for breathing and a pulse.
b. Control the bleeding with any available resources.
c. Perform a secondary assessment.
d. Immediately begin CPR. - answer B
An injured patron is responsive and bleeding. After summoning EMS
personnel, obtaining consent and putting on disposable gloves, what is your
next care step?
a. Treat the victim for shock by lying the victim down.
b. Elevate the wound if you can do so without causing further pain.
c. Press firmly against the wound with a sterile dressing and bandage. d. Let
the wound bleed until it stops on its own. - answer C
A way to remember the questions to ask when taking a brief history is to use
the acronym SAMPLE. What does the A in SAMPLE stand for?
a. Allergies
b. Age
c. Airway
d. Ankle - answer A
What is the first step you should take in caring for a victim with burns?
a. Cool the burned area to stop the burning.
b. Keep the victim comfortable.
c. Take steps to minimize shock.
d. Remove the victim from the source of the burn. - answer D (seems too
obvious but it is the right answer )
, If a victim is having a seizure in the water:
a. Support the victim with their head above water until the seizure ends.
b. Immediately get them out of the water.
c. Immediately move the victim to shallow water until the seizure ends, if
the victim is in deep water.
d. Secure the victim onto a backboard. - answer A
During a swim meet, the bleachers behind your guard station
suddenly collapse. As you check the scene, you notice several people who
appear injured. Who should you approach first?
a. A parent holding a crying infant.
b. A victim who appears unconscious.
c. A victim who is bleeding lightly from an injury on the leg.
d. A child who is holding their arm, which appears to be injured. - answer B
When caring for musculoskeletal injuries, what does RICE stand for? a. Remove,
immobilize, care, elevate
b. Rest, ice, care, evaluate
c. Rest, immobilize, cold, elevate
d. Remove, ice, care, evaluate - answer C (this changed recently used to be
rest, ice, compress elevate)
All of the following are components of scene size-up EXCEPT:
a. Gathering an initial impression of the situation.
b. Calling for additional resources as needed.
c. Looking for situations that are hazardous.
d. Checking for responsiveness. - answer D
Signs and symptoms of sudden illness do not include:
a. Changes in LOC
and Correct Answers 2026
You are providing care to a patron who started choking on some food. The
victim becomes unresponsive. Which of the following should you do first?
a. Attempt to give ventilations to the victim.
b. Lower the victim to the ground and open their airway.
c. Look inside the victim's mouth and use your fingers to remove the obstruction.
d. Lower the victim to the ground and begin CPR starting with chest
compressions. - answer D
Where should you place your hands when giving chest compressions to an
infant during CPR?
a. One hand on the chin and one hand on the chest.
b. One hand on the chin and two or three fingers on the center of the chest.
c. One hand on the forehead and two or three fingers on the center of the chest.
d. One hand on the forehead and one hand on the chest. - answer C
When giving abdominal thrusts to an adult who is choking, where should you
position your fist?
a. In the center of the breastbone
b. In the middle of the abdomen, just above the navel
c. In the middle of the abdomen, just below the navel
d. On the rib cage - answer B
A person has been injured and is responsive. You should:
a. Have the victim walk with you to the first aid station so you can obtain
consent and provide care.
b. Provide care immediately based on the victim's condition.
c. Speak with the victim to find out what happened and check for non-life-
threatening conditions.
d. Obtain consent, check the victim for life-threatening conditions and
,speak with the victim to find out what happened. - answer D
Your initial impression reveals severe life-threatening bleeding in an adult
victim who appears to be unresponsive. Your next step should be:
a. Open the airway and check for breathing and a pulse.
b. Control the bleeding with any available resources.
c. Perform a secondary assessment.
d. Immediately begin CPR. - answer B
An injured patron is responsive and bleeding. After summoning EMS
personnel, obtaining consent and putting on disposable gloves, what is your
next care step?
a. Treat the victim for shock by lying the victim down.
b. Elevate the wound if you can do so without causing further pain.
c. Press firmly against the wound with a sterile dressing and bandage. d. Let
the wound bleed until it stops on its own. - answer C
A way to remember the questions to ask when taking a brief history is to use
the acronym SAMPLE. What does the A in SAMPLE stand for?
a. Allergies
b. Age
c. Airway
d. Ankle - answer A
What is the first step you should take in caring for a victim with burns?
a. Cool the burned area to stop the burning.
b. Keep the victim comfortable.
c. Take steps to minimize shock.
d. Remove the victim from the source of the burn. - answer D (seems too
obvious but it is the right answer )
, If a victim is having a seizure in the water:
a. Support the victim with their head above water until the seizure ends.
b. Immediately get them out of the water.
c. Immediately move the victim to shallow water until the seizure ends, if
the victim is in deep water.
d. Secure the victim onto a backboard. - answer A
During a swim meet, the bleachers behind your guard station
suddenly collapse. As you check the scene, you notice several people who
appear injured. Who should you approach first?
a. A parent holding a crying infant.
b. A victim who appears unconscious.
c. A victim who is bleeding lightly from an injury on the leg.
d. A child who is holding their arm, which appears to be injured. - answer B
When caring for musculoskeletal injuries, what does RICE stand for? a. Remove,
immobilize, care, elevate
b. Rest, ice, care, evaluate
c. Rest, immobilize, cold, elevate
d. Remove, ice, care, evaluate - answer C (this changed recently used to be
rest, ice, compress elevate)
All of the following are components of scene size-up EXCEPT:
a. Gathering an initial impression of the situation.
b. Calling for additional resources as needed.
c. Looking for situations that are hazardous.
d. Checking for responsiveness. - answer D
Signs and symptoms of sudden illness do not include:
a. Changes in LOC
