American Red Cross Lifeguarding Study Guide
Primary Responsibilities of Lifeguards (pg. 2) Monitor activities in and near water, prevent injuries by minimalizing hazardous
situations, enforce facility rules, recognize and respond quickly, administering
first aid and CPR, work as a team with other facility employees
Secondary Responsibilities of Lifeguards (pg. 2-3) test pool water chemistry, assisting patrons, cleaning/maintenance of pool area,
completing records and reports
F.I.N.D (pg. 6) F=Figure out the problem
I= Identify possible solutions
N= Name the pros and cons for each solution.
D= Decide which solution is best, then act on it
EAP (pg. 6) Emergency Action Plan
Duty to Act (pg. 6) While on the job, you have legal responsibility to act in an emergency
Negligence (pg. 6) When a person receiving emergency care has additional harm because
lifeguards failed to follow the standard of care
Consent (pg. 6) All people giving medical care MUST obtain consent before helping an individual
Regular In-Service takes place while you are employed as a lifeguard, it is a practice of many well
managed facilities that lifeguards participate in a minimum of 4 hrs of in-service
training each month
Equipment that your wear or care a rescue tube, resuscitation mask and gloves
Equipment that you can easily reach backboards, rescue buoys, PPE, AED first aid supplies
PPE (pg. 14) Personal Protective Equipment: specialized clothing, equipment, and supplies
used to prevent you from coming into direct contact with a victims body fluids
BVM (pg. 14) REQUIRES TWO RESCUERS.
AED (pg. 14) Automated External Defibrillators: portable electronic device that analyzes a
victims heart rhythm and delivers electrical shock to re-establich proper rhythm.
When preforming facility safety checks report any unsafe conditions found
Lightening / Thunder in Area (pg. 25) 1. Clear Pool / Pool Area
2. Listen / Follow National Weather Service Reports
3. Wait for 30 minutes after the last sight or sound of thunder before resuming
activity
Management and Safety (pg.30) As a lifeguard, your job is to follow and enforce your facility's rules and
regulations
, American Red Cross Lifeguarding Study Guide
Addressing Unsafe Conditions (pg. 31) Lifeguards experiencing any unsafe conditions should report all issues to
management
MSDS (pg. 31) Material Safety Data Sheet: list of every chemical stored at facility listing the
contents of the chemical
Patron Surveillance (pg. 33) keeping a close watch over the people in the facility and intervening when
necessary
(pg. 34) The process of drowning begins when... water enters the victims airway
Effective Surveillance (pg. 34) recognition of dangerous behaviors, victim recognition, effective scanning, zone
of surveillance responsibility, lifeguard stations
Distressed Swimmer above water, is breathing, trying to grab onto the lane line or side of the pool
Active Drowning Victim (pg. 37) a drowning victim who is struggling to remain at the surface of the water (still
conscious)
Passive Drowning Victim (pg. 38) a drowning victim who is not conscious. They do not struggle and slip under the
water suddenly.
Scanning is... a surveillance technique for watching patrons
RID Factor (pg. 44) 1. Recognition (fail to recognize victim)
2. Intrusion (secondary duties, like maintenance, intrudes on lifeguards primary
duties)
3. Distraction (distracted from surveillance)
Zone Coverage (pg. 45) Pool is divided into separate zones. Each lifeguard is responsible for their own
zone. Typically zones overlap in certain spots to have double coverage
Chain of Command (pg. 78) Patrons > Lifeguard > Facility Management > EMS
Most Head, Neck, or Spinal Injuries result from high-risk/high impact activities such as head-first entries into shallow water
At lakes, rivers, and oceans, head neck and spinal depths change with the tide or current
injuries usually occur in areas where
Signs of head neck or spinal injury Unusually bumps or bruises, heavy external bleeding, seizures, blood or other
fluids in the ears and nose, brushing of the head
Use the head splint technique for preforming manual in-line stabilization for victims in the water
Primary Responsibilities of Lifeguards (pg. 2) Monitor activities in and near water, prevent injuries by minimalizing hazardous
situations, enforce facility rules, recognize and respond quickly, administering
first aid and CPR, work as a team with other facility employees
Secondary Responsibilities of Lifeguards (pg. 2-3) test pool water chemistry, assisting patrons, cleaning/maintenance of pool area,
completing records and reports
F.I.N.D (pg. 6) F=Figure out the problem
I= Identify possible solutions
N= Name the pros and cons for each solution.
D= Decide which solution is best, then act on it
EAP (pg. 6) Emergency Action Plan
Duty to Act (pg. 6) While on the job, you have legal responsibility to act in an emergency
Negligence (pg. 6) When a person receiving emergency care has additional harm because
lifeguards failed to follow the standard of care
Consent (pg. 6) All people giving medical care MUST obtain consent before helping an individual
Regular In-Service takes place while you are employed as a lifeguard, it is a practice of many well
managed facilities that lifeguards participate in a minimum of 4 hrs of in-service
training each month
Equipment that your wear or care a rescue tube, resuscitation mask and gloves
Equipment that you can easily reach backboards, rescue buoys, PPE, AED first aid supplies
PPE (pg. 14) Personal Protective Equipment: specialized clothing, equipment, and supplies
used to prevent you from coming into direct contact with a victims body fluids
BVM (pg. 14) REQUIRES TWO RESCUERS.
AED (pg. 14) Automated External Defibrillators: portable electronic device that analyzes a
victims heart rhythm and delivers electrical shock to re-establich proper rhythm.
When preforming facility safety checks report any unsafe conditions found
Lightening / Thunder in Area (pg. 25) 1. Clear Pool / Pool Area
2. Listen / Follow National Weather Service Reports
3. Wait for 30 minutes after the last sight or sound of thunder before resuming
activity
Management and Safety (pg.30) As a lifeguard, your job is to follow and enforce your facility's rules and
regulations
, American Red Cross Lifeguarding Study Guide
Addressing Unsafe Conditions (pg. 31) Lifeguards experiencing any unsafe conditions should report all issues to
management
MSDS (pg. 31) Material Safety Data Sheet: list of every chemical stored at facility listing the
contents of the chemical
Patron Surveillance (pg. 33) keeping a close watch over the people in the facility and intervening when
necessary
(pg. 34) The process of drowning begins when... water enters the victims airway
Effective Surveillance (pg. 34) recognition of dangerous behaviors, victim recognition, effective scanning, zone
of surveillance responsibility, lifeguard stations
Distressed Swimmer above water, is breathing, trying to grab onto the lane line or side of the pool
Active Drowning Victim (pg. 37) a drowning victim who is struggling to remain at the surface of the water (still
conscious)
Passive Drowning Victim (pg. 38) a drowning victim who is not conscious. They do not struggle and slip under the
water suddenly.
Scanning is... a surveillance technique for watching patrons
RID Factor (pg. 44) 1. Recognition (fail to recognize victim)
2. Intrusion (secondary duties, like maintenance, intrudes on lifeguards primary
duties)
3. Distraction (distracted from surveillance)
Zone Coverage (pg. 45) Pool is divided into separate zones. Each lifeguard is responsible for their own
zone. Typically zones overlap in certain spots to have double coverage
Chain of Command (pg. 78) Patrons > Lifeguard > Facility Management > EMS
Most Head, Neck, or Spinal Injuries result from high-risk/high impact activities such as head-first entries into shallow water
At lakes, rivers, and oceans, head neck and spinal depths change with the tide or current
injuries usually occur in areas where
Signs of head neck or spinal injury Unusually bumps or bruises, heavy external bleeding, seizures, blood or other
fluids in the ears and nose, brushing of the head
Use the head splint technique for preforming manual in-line stabilization for victims in the water
