American Red Cross Lifeguard Course Written Exam
Practice Test 2025-2026 Exam Questions With
Correct Answers
A 12-year-old child at a swim meet grabs their chest and begins to make
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wheezing noises. After you obtain consent to provide care, the child's
| | | | | | | | | | |
parent informs you that the child has a history of asthma, but does not
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
have an inhaler nearby. What care should you provide?
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a. Give 5 back blows.
| | | |
b. Summon more advanced medical personnel and place the victim into
| | | | | | | | | | |
a position that helps breathing.
| | | |
c. Tell the victim to use an inhaler borrowed from a bystander.
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d. Wait 20 minutes to see if the breathing difficulty goes away.
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b. Summon more advanced medical personnel and place the victim into
| | | | | | | | | | |
a position that helps breathing.
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Your initial impression of a victim is based on:
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a. The victim's initial vital signs.
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b. How the victim appears to you as you size up the scene.
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c. The victim's SAMPLE history.
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d. What you have been told about the victim.
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b. How the victim appears to you as you size up the scene.
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You and another lifeguard find an unresponsive adult on the floor in the
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
locker room. You activate your facility's EAP, size-up the scene, form an
| | | | | | | | | | | |
initial impression and perform a primary assessment. You find the victim
| | | | | | | | | |
|is not moving or breathing, but has a pulse. You should summon EMS
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
personnel, then: |
a. Give ventilations at a rate of one breath every 5-6 seconds.
| | | | | | | | | | |
,b. Give back blows and chest thrusts.
| | | | | |
c. Give quick breaths at the rate of 20 to 40 a minute.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
d. Perform CPR.
| |
a. Give ventilations at a rate of 1about every 5-6 seconds.
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You arrive on the scene where a patron appears to be injured. Before
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
approaching the victim, which of the following will you NOT do as you | | | | | | | | | | | | |
size-up the scene? | |
a. Begin performing the primary assessment.
| | | | |
b. Use all your senses to determine if the scene is safe.
| | | | | | | | | | |
c. Form an initial impression.
| | | |
d. Put on appropriate PPE.
| | | |
a. Begin performing the primary assessment.
| | | | |
When providing care during an emergency, which of the following
| | | | | | | | | |
should you do first? | | |
a. Size-up the scene while forming an initial impression.
| | | | | | | |
b. Check for responsiveness.
| | |
c. Perform a primary assessment.
| | | |
d. Summon more advanced medical personnel.
| | | | |
a. Size-up the scene while forming an initial impression.
| | | | | | | |
As the first rescuer on the scene, you are performing CPR on an adult.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
When performing chest compressions, how deeply should you
| | | | | | | |
compress the chest? a. About 2 inches | | | | | |
b. At least 2 inches but no more than 2.4 inches
| | | | | | | | | |
c. About 1½ inches
| | |
d. At least 1 inch but no more than 2 inches
| | | | | | | | | |
b. At least 2 inches but no more than 2.4 inches
| | | | | | | | | |
, CPR should be performed on which of the following victims?
| | | | | | | | |
a. One who is in cardiac arrest
| | | | | |
b. One who is conscious and is choking
| | | | | | |
c. One who is experiencing difficulty breathing
| | | | | |
d. One who responds to painful stimuli
| | | | | |
a. One who is in cardiac arrest
| | | | | |
What is the first step of the Adult Cardiac Chain of Survival?
| | | | | | | | | | |
a. Early CPR to keep oxygen-rich blood flowing and to help delay brain
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
damage and death. | |
b. Early defibrillation to help restore an effective heart rhythm and
| | | | | | | | | | |
significantly increase the victim's chance for survival.
| | | | | |
c. Advanced life support using advanced medical personnel who can
| | | | | | | | | |
provide the proper tools and medication needed to continue the
| | | | | | | | | |
lifesaving care. |
d. Recognition of a cardiac emergency and activation of the emergency
| | | | | | | | | | |
response system. |
d. Recognition of a cardiac emergency and activation of the emergency
| | | | | | | | | | |
response system. |
You are providing care to a victim suspected of having a heart attack.
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Which of the following would you do first?
| | | | | | |
a. Summon EMS personnel.
| | |
b. Loosen any tight clothing.
| | | |
c. Monitor the victim's appearance.
| | | |
d. Provide comfort to the victim.
| | | | |
a. Summon EMS personnel.
| | |
Practice Test 2025-2026 Exam Questions With
Correct Answers
A 12-year-old child at a swim meet grabs their chest and begins to make
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
wheezing noises. After you obtain consent to provide care, the child's
| | | | | | | | | | |
parent informs you that the child has a history of asthma, but does not
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
have an inhaler nearby. What care should you provide?
| | | | | | | |
a. Give 5 back blows.
| | | |
b. Summon more advanced medical personnel and place the victim into
| | | | | | | | | | |
a position that helps breathing.
| | | |
c. Tell the victim to use an inhaler borrowed from a bystander.
| | | | | | | | | | |
d. Wait 20 minutes to see if the breathing difficulty goes away.
| | | | | | | | | | |
b. Summon more advanced medical personnel and place the victim into
| | | | | | | | | | |
a position that helps breathing.
| | | |
Your initial impression of a victim is based on:
| | | | | | | |
a. The victim's initial vital signs.
| | | | |
b. How the victim appears to you as you size up the scene.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
c. The victim's SAMPLE history.
| | | |
d. What you have been told about the victim.
| | | | | | | |
b. How the victim appears to you as you size up the scene.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
You and another lifeguard find an unresponsive adult on the floor in the
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
locker room. You activate your facility's EAP, size-up the scene, form an
| | | | | | | | | | | |
initial impression and perform a primary assessment. You find the victim
| | | | | | | | | |
|is not moving or breathing, but has a pulse. You should summon EMS
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
personnel, then: |
a. Give ventilations at a rate of one breath every 5-6 seconds.
| | | | | | | | | | |
,b. Give back blows and chest thrusts.
| | | | | |
c. Give quick breaths at the rate of 20 to 40 a minute.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
d. Perform CPR.
| |
a. Give ventilations at a rate of 1about every 5-6 seconds.
| | | | | | | | | |
You arrive on the scene where a patron appears to be injured. Before
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
approaching the victim, which of the following will you NOT do as you | | | | | | | | | | | | |
size-up the scene? | |
a. Begin performing the primary assessment.
| | | | |
b. Use all your senses to determine if the scene is safe.
| | | | | | | | | | |
c. Form an initial impression.
| | | |
d. Put on appropriate PPE.
| | | |
a. Begin performing the primary assessment.
| | | | |
When providing care during an emergency, which of the following
| | | | | | | | | |
should you do first? | | |
a. Size-up the scene while forming an initial impression.
| | | | | | | |
b. Check for responsiveness.
| | |
c. Perform a primary assessment.
| | | |
d. Summon more advanced medical personnel.
| | | | |
a. Size-up the scene while forming an initial impression.
| | | | | | | |
As the first rescuer on the scene, you are performing CPR on an adult.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
When performing chest compressions, how deeply should you
| | | | | | | |
compress the chest? a. About 2 inches | | | | | |
b. At least 2 inches but no more than 2.4 inches
| | | | | | | | | |
c. About 1½ inches
| | |
d. At least 1 inch but no more than 2 inches
| | | | | | | | | |
b. At least 2 inches but no more than 2.4 inches
| | | | | | | | | |
, CPR should be performed on which of the following victims?
| | | | | | | | |
a. One who is in cardiac arrest
| | | | | |
b. One who is conscious and is choking
| | | | | | |
c. One who is experiencing difficulty breathing
| | | | | |
d. One who responds to painful stimuli
| | | | | |
a. One who is in cardiac arrest
| | | | | |
What is the first step of the Adult Cardiac Chain of Survival?
| | | | | | | | | | |
a. Early CPR to keep oxygen-rich blood flowing and to help delay brain
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
damage and death. | |
b. Early defibrillation to help restore an effective heart rhythm and
| | | | | | | | | | |
significantly increase the victim's chance for survival.
| | | | | |
c. Advanced life support using advanced medical personnel who can
| | | | | | | | | |
provide the proper tools and medication needed to continue the
| | | | | | | | | |
lifesaving care. |
d. Recognition of a cardiac emergency and activation of the emergency
| | | | | | | | | | |
response system. |
d. Recognition of a cardiac emergency and activation of the emergency
| | | | | | | | | | |
response system. |
You are providing care to a victim suspected of having a heart attack.
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Which of the following would you do first?
| | | | | | |
a. Summon EMS personnel.
| | |
b. Loosen any tight clothing.
| | | |
c. Monitor the victim's appearance.
| | | |
d. Provide comfort to the victim.
| | | | |
a. Summon EMS personnel.
| | |
