AMERICAN RED CROSS
LIFEGUARDING WRITTEN. EXAM 2025
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What is the primary responsibility of a lifeguard? - ANS to prevent drowning and other
injuries from occurring at your aquatic facility.
Provide three examples of how lifeguards fulfill their primary responsibility - ANS 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 - ANS testing the pool water chemistry, assist patrons by performing
safety orientations, administering swim tests, fitting life jackets and other duties, cleaning or
1 @COPYRIGHT THESTAR 2025/2026
,performing maintenance, completing records and reports, performing opening duties, closing
duties, or facility safety checks and inspections.
list 5 characteristics of a professional lifeguard - ANS knowledgable and skilled, reliable,
mature, courteous and consistent, positive, professional, healthy and fit
lifeguards should: - ANS 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? - ANS 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 - ANS 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? - ANS (2 years.) annual certification training.
2 @COPYRIGHT THESTAR 2025/2026
,why is it important to attend a pre-season orientation and training - ANS 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 - ANS emergency action plan
why is it important for lifeguards and other team members to understand and practice the EAP
- ANS 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 - ANS at least. hours of in service training each month
what are the benefits of regular, frequent in-service training - ANS gives you a chance to
maintain your knowledge and skills at a professional level and practice with the lifeguards at
your facility.
3 @COPYRIGHT THESTAR 2025/2026
, list. topics that could be a discussed during in-service training - ANS 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 -
ANS 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 - ANS 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 - ANS 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.
4 @COPYRIGHT THESTAR 2025/2026
LIFEGUARDING WRITTEN. EXAM 2025
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What is the primary responsibility of a lifeguard? - ANS to prevent drowning and other
injuries from occurring at your aquatic facility.
Provide three examples of how lifeguards fulfill their primary responsibility - ANS 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 - ANS testing the pool water chemistry, assist patrons by performing
safety orientations, administering swim tests, fitting life jackets and other duties, cleaning or
1 @COPYRIGHT THESTAR 2025/2026
,performing maintenance, completing records and reports, performing opening duties, closing
duties, or facility safety checks and inspections.
list 5 characteristics of a professional lifeguard - ANS knowledgable and skilled, reliable,
mature, courteous and consistent, positive, professional, healthy and fit
lifeguards should: - ANS 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? - ANS 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 - ANS 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? - ANS (2 years.) annual certification training.
2 @COPYRIGHT THESTAR 2025/2026
,why is it important to attend a pre-season orientation and training - ANS 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 - ANS emergency action plan
why is it important for lifeguards and other team members to understand and practice the EAP
- ANS 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 - ANS at least. hours of in service training each month
what are the benefits of regular, frequent in-service training - ANS gives you a chance to
maintain your knowledge and skills at a professional level and practice with the lifeguards at
your facility.
3 @COPYRIGHT THESTAR 2025/2026
, list. topics that could be a discussed during in-service training - ANS 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 -
ANS 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 - ANS 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 - ANS 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.
4 @COPYRIGHT THESTAR 2025/2026
