American Red Cross Lifeguarding

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American Red CrossLifeguarding

• Ch. 1
• The Professional Lifeguard

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Purpose

• To teach lifeguard candidates the knowledge and
  skills needed to prevent and respond to aquatic
  emergencies.
• The course content and activities prepare
  lifeguard candidates to prevent drownings and
  injuries and to recognize and respond quickly and
  effectively to emergencies.

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Characteristics of a Professional LG

• Starts with training and certification.
• You have to be mentally, physically and
  emotionally prepared at all times.
• Professional LGs must be-
• Knowledgeable and have appropriate skills
• Reliable
• Mature
• Courteous and consistent
• Positive
• Professional
• Healthy fit

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The Professional
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Responsibilities of a LG

• The primary responsibility of a professional
  lifeguard is to ensure patron safety and protect
  lives.
• Preventing injuries by minimizing or eliminating
  hazardous situations or behaviors.
• Enforcing rules and regulations

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Responsibilities cont

• Respond quickly to all emergencies
• Administer first aid, CPR/AED
• Communicating- when more help or equipment is
  needed

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Responsibilities cont.

• Secondary responsibilities of a LG are the other
  tasks they are responsible for
• Secondary responsibilities must NEVER prevent the
  LG from meeting his/her primary responsibility.
• Performing maintenance (pool chemistry, equipmt
  checks, vacuum and clean)

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Responsibilities cont.

• Secondary responsibilities can include
• Filling out required records and reports
• Performing maintenance (pool chemistry, equipment
  checks, vacuum and clean)
• Inspecting the facility daily and reporting any
  unsafe conditions to supervisor.

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Lifeguard Work Settings

• Swimming pools-indoor, outdoor, enclosed
• Multi-attraction-pools and play structures
• Waterfronts-open-water areaslakes, rivers, ponds
  and oceans.
• Waterparks

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Decision Making

• Important component to lifeguarding
• When and how to make a rescue
• When and how to perform first aid or CPR
• How to work with as a team
• How to interact with patrons

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Decision Making

• Decision making can be difficult, especially in
  an emergency
• F Figure out the problem
• I - Identify possible solutions
• N Name the pros cons for each solution
• D Decide which solution is best

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Legal Considerations

• Duty to act
• Standard of care
• Negligence
• Good Samaritan laws
• Consent

• Refusal of care
• Abandonment
• Confidentiality
• Documentation

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Duty to Act

• As a professional rescuer you have a duty to act
  at the scene of an emergency.
• Scope of Practice-you may act in w/in what you
  you were trained for

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Negligence

• Failing to provide care
• Providing care beyond your level of training
• Providing inappropriate care
• Failing to control or stop any behaviors that
  could result in further harm or injury

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Consent

• State your name
• Tell the victim you are trained to help what
  level
• Ask the victim if you can help
• Explain what you planned to do
• Battery-touching a person without consent

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Refusal of Care

• Some injured or ill may refuse care
• You must honor their wishes
• A parent can refuse care for a minor

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Advanced Directives

• Written instructions regarding medical treatment
  DNRs, living wills.
• Confidentiality- you may learn something about
  the victim that is private and confidential. Do
  not share this info, except with EMS personnel.

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The Lifeguard Team

• Whenever another lifeguard is on duty with you,
  you are part of a lifeguard team.
• The aquatic safety team is a network of people
  who prevent, prepare for, respond to and assist
  in an emergency at an aquatic facility.
• All staff must practice the facilitys emergency
  action plans (EAPs)

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EAPs-Emergency Action Plans

• Written procedures that guide the actions of LGs
  and other staff in emergencies.

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Facility Management and Professionalism

• How does management support lifeguard
  professionalism?
• By providing a policies and procedures manual
• By conducting an orientation and regular
  in-service trainings
• By providing opportunities for recognition and
  career development

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In-service Training

• Might address
• Potential hazards of facility
• Facility rules regs
• EAPs
• Surveillance and water rescue skills
• CPR/AED, FA training

• Physical conditioning
• Facility operations
• Records and reports