Red Cross Lifeguarding Exam 2025

Red Cross Lifeguarding Exam 2025 1. What does the primary responsibility of a lifeguard include? a. Conduct surveillance. b. Administer swim tests. c. Assist patrons with questions. d. Ensure that resuscitation equipment is working. a. Conduct surveillance. 2. In which scenario is a lifeguard demonstrating characteristics of professional appearance while conducting surveillance? a. Using a mobile phone b. Socializing with patrons c. Assuming a relaxed posture d. Wearing the lifeguard uniform properly d. Wearing the lifeguard uniform properly 3. What immediate action should a lifeguard take when they hear thunder in the distance? a. Clear patrons from the water. b. Count the seconds between claps of thunder. c. Monitor weather reports to watch for storms. d. Allow patrons to remain in the water until lightning is sighted a. Clear patrons from the water. 4. A lifeguard is conducting surveillance from a ground-level station. The water depth in their zone is 4 feet. A person at the far end of their zone starts to display active drowning behaviors. The water in front of their zone is crowded with patrons. Which entry should the lifeguard use in this situation? a. Stride jump b. Slide-in entry c. Compact jump d. Run-and-swim entry b. Slide-in entry 5. A patron in the water is vertical, struggling to keep their face above the water, has their arms extended to their sides, is pressing down for support and is not making any forward progress in the water. Which situation do these behaviors describe? a. Distressed swimmer b. Active drowning person Red Cross Red Cross c.Passive drowning person d. Person with potential spinal injury b. Active drowning person 6. Which behavior does a passive drowning person exhibit? a. May be clinging to a line for support b. Struggles at the surface of the water c. Has defined arm and leg movements leading to purposeful movement d. Appears unresponsive in the water at the surface, sinking or on the bottom d. Appears unresponsive in the water at the surface, sinking or on the bottom 7. How often should a lifeguard complete a scan of their entire zone? a. Every 15 seconds b. Every 30 seconds c. Every 45 seconds d. Every 90 seconds b. Every 30 seconds 8. Which action indicates that a lifeguard is using an effective scanning technique? a. Sits still to prevent too much distracting body movement b. Mentally rehearses how to perform a rescue to help stay alert and prepared c. Moves their head and eyes and looks directly at each patron in the zone d. Focuses most of their attention on high-risk patrons, occasionally glancing at other patrons c. Moves their head and eyes and looks directly at each patron in the zone 9. Sun glare on the water surface is making it difficult for a lifeguard to see patrons on one side of their surveillance area. The lifeguard stands up and attempts to look around and through the glare spot without success. Which action should the lifeguard take in this situation? a. Signal for assistance. b. Keep trying to adjust their position. c. Wait for the sun position to change. d. Move patrons to an area not affected by glare. a. Signal for assistance. 10. A lifeguard station response time testing should be completed within how many minutes? a. 1 ½ to 2 b. 4 ½2 to 5 c. 6 to 8 d. 9 to 10 a. 1 ½ to 2 11. Which scenario describes preventive lifeguarding? Red Cross Red Cross a. A lifeguard occasionally bends the rules for their friends b. A lifeguard grabs a child's inflatable toy and removes it from the water c. A lifeguard calls the facility manager to discuss a scheduling conflict d. A lifeguard asks a patron to stop hyperventilating and explains why it is dangerous. d. A lifeguard asks a patron to stop hyperventilating and explains why it is dangerous. 12. How should a lifeguard respond to a group of adolescents aggressively dunking one another? a. Ask the patrons to leave the facility. b. Loudly tell the patrons to stop dunking. c. Keep blowing their whistle until the dunking stops. d. Ask the patrons to stop dunking and briefly explain why it is dangerous. d. Ask the patrons to stop dunking and briefly explain why it is dangerous. 13. Which factor should a lifeguard on duty in a zone that includes a swim team practice consider? a. Swimming in lanes prevents swimmers from colliding. b. The coach is responsible for surveillance and scanning of the team. c. Competitive swimmers are still susceptible to experiencing a medical emergency and drowning. d. Swim team members are well behaved, and rule enforcement is not needed. c. Competitive swimmers are still susceptible to experiencing a medical emergency and drowning. 14. Which activity may the manager of an aquatic facility implement to promote safety for a day camp while they visit an aquatic facility? a. Lifeguard administers swim tests. b. Lifeguard allows chaperones to leave. c. Lifeguard offers an optional safety orientation. d.Lifeguard ensures that all swimmers wear life jackets. a. Lifeguard administers swim tests. 15. Which written document guides the actions of lifeguards and other staff members of an aquatic facility in an emergency? a. Blood-borne Pathogen Plan b. Emergency Action Plan (EAP) c. Federal and State Safety Plan d. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Plan b. Emergency Action Plan (EAP) 16. What role might a facility safety team member who is not a lifeguard perform when there is an emergency at the facility? a. Complete the incident report b. Help lifeguards understand the facility's emergency action plan (EAP) c. Summon EMS professionals and bring them to the scene of the emergency d. Perform patron surveillance if lifeguards are not able to return to duty Red Cross Red Cross c. Summon EMS professionals and bring them to the scene of the emergency 17. For which critical reason should a rescuing lifeguard activate the emergency action plan (EAP)? a. Provide crowd control b. Alert other patrons of an emergency c. Get the attention of the drowning person d. Alert other lifeguards/members of the safety team d. Alert other lifeguards/members of the safety team 18. Which step should a lifeguard take first when identifying that a person is drowning? a. Clear the zone. b. Gather emergency equipment. c.Activate the emergency action plan. d. Move the person to a safe exit point. c.Activate the emergency action plan. 19. Which technique should a lifeguard use for an active front rescue? a. Thrust the rescue tube into the person's chest to provide support. b. Squeeze the rescue tube between their chest and the person's back. c. Extend the rescue tube to the person and ask them to grab it. d. Position the rescue tube below the person's shoulders so their head falls back into an open-airway position. a. Thrust the rescue tube into the person's chest to provide support. 20. Which technique should a lifeguard use when towing a passive drowning person at or near the surface of the water to the exit point? a. Use spinal motion restriction techniques. b. Talk to the drowning person to keep them calm. c. Lay the drowning person's head back in an open airway position. d. Maintain the drowning person in a vertical position in the water to keep the head up. c. Lay the drowning person's head back in an open airway position. 21. What technique should a lifeguard use when rescuing a passive drowning person submerged in shallow water? a. Use a feet-first surface dive. b. Quickly swim or walk to their side. c. Facing the opposite direction of the person, reach down and grab their wrists. d. Pick the person up and remain in place while turning them onto their back. b. Quickly swim or walk to their side. 22. During a rapid extrication of a passive drowning person from the edge of the water, once the person is centered on the backboard, the rescuing and assisting lifeguards should move the backboard to which position when pulling it out of the water? a. Horizontal b. Near horizontal Red Cross Red Cross c. Vertical d. Near vertical b. Near horizontal 23. After providing first aid to a patron who had a bleeding wound, a lifeguard properly removes their latex-free disposable gloves.Which statement demonstrates that the lifeguard understands how to properly dispose of these gloves? a. "I don't need to throw them away if they look clean." b. "If I use hot water and antibacterial soap to wash them, I can use the gloves again." c. "I should use a red biohazard bag to throw away disposable gloves contaminated with blood." d. "I can put the gloves in my hip pack and throw them away in the dumpster when I leave." c. "I should use a red biohazard bag to throw away disposable gloves contaminated with blood." 24. In which situation is consent implied? a. A 64-year-old is having chest pain and is awake and alert b. An 8-year-old is choking and their parent is not present c. An unresponsive 12-year-old has a head laceration and their parent is present d. A 23-year-old is alone, has a possible fracture from a fall and is awake and alert b. An 8-year-old is choking and their parent is not present 25. For which reason should a lifeguard perform a rapid assessment during a medical emergency? a. To check the patron from head to toe for signs and symptoms of illness or injury b. To ask the patron for details about their health history c. To determine the cause of the medical emergency d. To identify and immediately address life-threatening conditions d. To identify and immediately address life-threatening conditions 26. An adult is unresponsive after collapsing at the waterfront while playing with their children. After opening the airway, for how many seconds should a lifeguard simultaneously check for breathing and a pulse? a. No more than 5 seconds b. No more than 10 seconds c. No more than 15 seconds d. No more than 20 seconds b. No more than 10 seconds 27. Where should a lifeguard check for a pulse on an infant? a. Brachial pulse b. Carotid pulse c. Radial pulse d. Femoral pulse a. Brachial pulse Red Cross Red Cross 28. A passive drowning person has been extricated from the water. During the rapid assessment, the lifeguard determines that the person has no pulse and is in cardiac arrest. What should be the lifeguard's first action for this passive drowning person?