Full In-Service Exercises & Scenarios
Scanning, Zone Validation, Victim Recognition
Scanning: Awareness and Recognition
Missing Person Search
Submerged Victim Recognition & Rescue
Missing Swimmer: Waterfront
Special Situations: Seizures
Special Situations: Respiratory and/or Cardiac Medical Scenario: Infant
Special Situations: Respiratory and/or Cardiac Medical Scenario: Child
Special Situations: Respiratory and/or Cardiac Medical Scenario: Adult
Normal Operations: Rule Breaking
Dry-Land emergency Management: CPR, AR, and First Aid
CPR Skills: Identifying and Managing an Obstructed Airway
CPR Skills: AED and O2
Aquatic First Aid Review
Special Situations: Seizures
First Aid and Water Rescue: Swim Team Practice
First Aid: Land Based
First Aid: Fight
Water Rescue Skills
Rescue Techniques: Using a Rescue Tube
Active Victim Rescue: Birthday Party
Passive Victim Rescue: Lap Swimmer
Submerged Victim Recognition & Rescue
Multiple Active Victims: Together
Multiple Victims: Separate
Multiple Guard Rescue: Combative Adult Victim
Special Situations: Seizures
First Aid and Water Rescue: Swim Team Practice
First Aid and Water Rescue: Water Slide
Spinal Rescues
Extrication: Rapid Procedure with Backboard
Spinal Injury Management
Spinal Injury Scenario: Shallow Water
Spinal Injury Scenario: Deep Water
First Aid and Water Rescue: Water Slide
Emergency Action Plan: Full Scenario Training
Lifeguard Communication
Emergency Action Plan
Site Specific Training
Fitness: Conditioning
Beyond the Rescue
Character Development
Waterfront Lifeguarding
Water Recreation Attractions
Missing Swimmer: Waterfront
First Aid and Water Rescue: Water Slide
Other
Special Situations
Basic Pool Management
Severe Weather
Special Situation: Disabled Guest
Just Plain Fun
Football Drills
AW-OO-GA
Shoulder-Rubs
Look Down, Look Up
Eye Contact
Chuck the Chicken
Freeze Tag
Drowning Victim Tread
Rescue Tube Tug of War
1,2,3 Name Game
Lifeguard Scrabble
Pass the Lifesaver
Treading Water Duck Duck Goose
Back to Back
Hula Hoop Line Pass
Name Action Syllables
Name Juggling
Yurt Circle
Alphabet Soup
Move It If
Blob Tag
Elbow Tag
Spider Web
Smaug’s Treasure
This Is a What?
In-service topic #1 – Awareness and Recognition: The Importance of Scanning
Ninety-five percent of a lifeguard’s job is watching the pool. About four percent are secondary duties such as maintenance, cleaning, and enforcing rules. Less than one percent, favorably zero percent, is performing a rescue. Despite these numbers, the majority of the lifeguard’s training focuses on rescue techniques and lifesaving skills, which are necessary, but we hope we never have to use. In training, it is important not to overlook the lifeguard’s primary task, to watch the pool. The following examples and drills emphasize the importance of scanning in order to achieve heightened awareness and recognition when lifeguarding. Proper scanning technique is the foundation of safe lifeguarding.
Classroom Activities:
1. Discussion: The lifeguard’s job is a serious one. The safety and life of each swimmer is the responsibility of the on-duty lifeguard. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of tragic examples of what can go wrong when a lifeguard does not vigilantly watch over a pool. Included with this document is a “Lessons in the News” article that details the drowning of a seven year old girl. Many others can be found on our web page, www.redwoodsgroup.com, under aquatics. Discuss some examples with the staff and evaluate what was done wrong, and what could have been done better. Alternately, the video Touched by a Drowning shows an unsuccessful rescue and can be used as a learning tool in a similar fashion. We can make this video available to you upon request.
2. Drill: Have the guards stand in a line, with their arms held out to the side, each an arm’s length apart from the next. Instruct the guards to keep their heads and eyes fixed straight ahead. Place an object or note card in one hand of each person and an object or note card at the feet of each person. Instruct the guards to identify the object or read the card held by the guard next to them without moving their eyes. They will not be able to do this accurately. Instruct them to attempt the same task keeping the head fixed ahead but allow eye movement. They should be more able to see, but still have some trouble. Ask them to identify or read the item at their feet. This will not be possible. Ask the guards to remember the story from “Lessons in the News”. The girl was found directly below the lifeguard chair. Next, instruct the guards that they may move their heads to identify or read the items. The task will be easy. This is a simple visual test that demonstrates the necessity for a guard to constantly be moving his or her head when guarding.
3. Discussion: Describe different scanning patterns such as up and down, side to side, figure eight, and circular patterns. These patterns prevent boredom, ensure active scanning and head movement, and allow the entire zone to be scanned routinely. The guards should experiment with different patterns during the following pool drills and find a pattern or combination of patterns that works for them.
Pool Activities:
4. Discussion: Discuss the need for the guards to scan both the surface of the water and below the surface. With the guards, examine the pool and identify any problems that obstruct visibility. Such problems may be due to glare, poor lighting, or poor positioning of the lifeguard stands. Discuss solutions to the problems such as moving guard stands, having lifeguards change positions regularly, or posting a roving guard position during busier hours. Be sure to emphasize the need to see every area of the pool at any given time.
5. Drill: Explain common signs of distressed swimmers and drowning victims. Place one guard on land and the others in the water. Spread the swimmers throughout the entire coverage zone. Lead the guard on land out of the pool area (or blindfold). Designate one guard in the water to simulate a drowning victim or distressed swimmer. Bring the lifeguard on land back in (or remove blindfold) and sit the guard in the stand. The lifeguard in the stand must identify the victim and execute the proper response. Change the guard in the stand so that each guard has a turn. Record the time it takes for each guard to identify and reach the victim. Optimally, each guard should identify and reach the victim within 20 seconds
6. Drill: Continue the following drill, but vary the identification that the guards must make. After a number of rounds, designate no guard to simulate a drowning. See if the guard put in the stand can identify that nothing is wrong. After a couple more rounds, drop a manikin or shadow in the pool and have the other guards swim normally in the zone. The guard will then take the stand and must identify the location of the manikin or dummy and respond. This will show if they are actively scanning the bottom of the pool as well as the surface. At this point the drill is in full operation. Guards will need to vigilantly scan all aspects of the pool to determine what (if anything) is happening. Change the guard in the stand so that each has a turn. Record the time it takes for each guard to identify and reach the victim or manikin. Again, the times should optimally fall under 20 seconds.
Review
7. After the discussions and drills above discuss with the lifeguards how they had to actively scan the pool when looking for a distressed swimmer or the submerged manikin. Did they implement the scanning patterns described earlier? Did their scanning during the drills differ from how they normally scan the pool. Discuss the heightened level of tension and anxiety felt when they were actively looking for a victim and being timed. Explain that an incident can occur at any time, and they must be prepared for it. The methods they used during the drills must be used at all times when lifeguarding, and the anxiety must always be felt. If a problem is identified and responded to quickly, hopefully they will never have to use the CPR and Rescue Breathing skills they also practice.
8. Continue to practice scanning with the guards and test them on their vigilance. Perform vigilance awareness tests weekly (at minimum) to ensure that the guards are actively scanning when on duty. Encourage lifeguards to discuss problems with visibility that come up in the day to day operation of the pool with the management.
In-service topic #2 – Water Rescue Techniques – Using the Rescue Tube
The rescue tube is the primary piece of equipment utilized by a lifeguard during a water rescue. The tube not only aids in performing a rescue faster and more effectively, but it makes the rescue safer for both the lifeguard and the victim. The rescue tube should be used properly every time a rescue is performed or practiced. The following training plan will cover all aspects of in-water rescues using the rescue tube. Due to the time limitations of your in-service session, you may choose to break up the training into more than one session.
Classroom Activities:
1. Discussion: Because of the physical nature of these skills, the majority of the training must be physical, in-water training so that the lifeguards can become more comfortable using the tubes. For discussion purposes it is important to emphasize that the tube be worn at all times, be held across the lap, and have the excess slack gathered to prevent it from catching during a rescue. This is a rescue ready position, the position that the guards must always be in when on the water. The skills that will be covered include:
- Water entries
- Approach strokes
- Active victim rescues
- Passive victim rescues
- Submerged victim rescues
The rescue tube should also be utilized in a spinal injury situation, but due to the specific management of spinal injuries this will not be discussed in this training. The use of the tube is explained in the spinal management training.
2. Drill: The techniques for in-water rescues can be demonstrated and practiced on land if desired. It is important to also perform them in the water so that the guards can become comfortable in a more direct situation.
Pool Activities:
3. Drill: The skills described can be demonstrated and practiced in either shallow or deep water. Tailor the training to meet the demands of your specific pool or pools.
- Compact jump:
1. Squeeze the rescue tube high against your chest with the tube under your armpits.
2. Hold the excess line in one hand to keep it from getting caught in the chair or on equipment.
3. Jump out and away from the lifeguard stand or pool deck.
4. Bend your knees and keep your feet together and flat to absorb shock if you hit the bottom.
5. Let the buoyancy of the rescue tube bring you back to the surface.
6. Focus on the victim when you surface, begin approach stroke.
- Approach Stroke
1. Position the tube under your armpits or torso as you begin approach.
2. Swim crawl or breaststroke toward the victim with the tube in place and your head up.
3. Maintain visual contact with the victim as you approach.
4. If your tube slips out from under you, continue to approach the victim with the tube trailing behind you. Be sure to retrieve and reposition the tube before you make contact with the victim.
- Active victim rescue: front drive
1. At about one body length from the guest, pull the rescue tube from under your arms and push it out in front of you with both hands. Keep your arms straight with elbows locked.
2. Keep the tube out in front of you as far as possible.
3. As you near the guest, push the tube slightly underwater to position it below the guest’s arms. Push the tube into the chest and kick, driving the guest backward.
4. Keep your arms extended to prevent the distressed guest from grabbing you.
5. Keep kicking and driving the guest backward to the wall of the pool. Talk to the guest and encourage him or her to grab the tube until at the wall.
- Active victim rescue: rear hug
1. As you approach the guest, keep the rescue tub positioned against your chest and under your arms.
2. As quickly as possible, extend your arms under the guest’s armpits and wrap your hands around his or her shoulders. Keep the rescue tube between you and the guest.
3. Keep your body and head slightly to the side to prevent the guest from striking you.
4. Move backward toward the nearest wall or safe exit point.
- Active victim rescue: two lifeguard rescue
1. If you decide that you need assistance in a rescue, first signal to a nearby guard for help. One fist raised above your head is the standard signal.
2. The second guard enters the pool and approaches the guest from the opposite side as the first rescuer. (Be sure to either make sure another guard is watching the pool, or first clear the pool before both guards leave the stand).
3. The two guards position themselves with the guest between them. As they prepare to make contact with the guest, timing is very important, and a signal should be prepared ahead of time.
4. On the signal, the rear guard quickly performs a rear hug. The front guard simultaneously executes a front drive into the forearms of the rear guard.
5. The rear guard reaches over and secures the front tube, locking the guest between the two tubes.
6. The rear guard tows the victim backward to the pool wall or safe exit point, continuing to hold both tubes. The front guard assists by driving the front tube and victim in the same direction.
- Passive victim rescue: front roll
1. Approach the victim from the front. Pull the rescue tube from under your arms and place it between you and the victim. Hold the tube in the center with your left hand.
2. Reach over the tube with your right hand while slightly submerging it with your left. Reach your right hand to the underside of the victim’s right wrist.
3. Grasp the victim’s wrist and turn the victim face-up by pulling the arm down and then back up toward the surface, drawing a “U”. Simultaneously, submerge the tube with your left hand and push it toward the victim. Continue to roll and pull the victim toward you and on to the tube. Position the tube under the victim’s back.
4. Release the wrist, secure the victim and the rescue tube and move the victim quickly to the wall for extraction.
- Passive victim rescue: rear hug
1. Approach the victim in the same manner as with a conscious victim from behind.
2. If the victim is in a vertical position, reach under the armpits, grasp the shoulders, and pull the guest backward on to the rescue tube.
3. If the victim is in a more horizontal position, swim nearly on top of the victim, reach under the armpits and grasp the shoulders in the same way. As you pull the victim into the vertical position, you may have to use one hand to push the victim’s hips down into the water as you pull up on the shoulders. Roll the victim backward on to the rescue tube.