Lifeguard Written Test 2026 | Complete Practice
Questions & Answers for Lifeguard Certification Exam
1. What is one key reason why a lifeguard's behavior is important?
It reflects on their employer and patron safety.
It determines the lifeguard's salary.
It is irrelevant to the job performance.
It affects the lifeguard's personal reputation only.
2. What is the CPR ratio for infants with a single rescuer?
5-3
30-2
4-2
2-1
3. What is the correct timing for an incoming lifeguard to assume a ready
position?
Before the zone transfer
After the zone transfer
Only during an emergency
During the zone transfer
4. What is the recommended modification for a head-first surface dive in
shallow water?
Use a cannonball entry
Dive straight down without modification
,Descend at an angle instead of straight down
, Perform a feet-first entry
5. Which of the following steps should a lifeguard take when obtaining
consent from an injured or ill person before providing first aid or
emergency care?
Ask if you may help
State your name
All of these
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.
State your level of training
6. Describe why diving head-first is not recommended during a run-and-
swim entry.
Diving head-first allows for faster rescue.
Diving head-first is required by safety regulations.
Diving head-first can lead to injury and is not safe in shallow
water.
Diving head-first is the only way to reach someone quickly.
7. Why is it important for lifeguards to maintain continuous surveillance
even when they notice a hazard?
Maintaining continuous surveillance ensures the safety of
patrons while hazards are reported and addressed.
Surveillance can be paused to allow for better hazard
management.
Lifeguards can only focus on hazards and not on patrons.
, Lifeguards should prioritize addressing hazards over patron
safety.
8. You are a lifeguard on surveillance duty during a busy family swim
session. It is important to:
Have a first aid kit, an automated external defibrillator (AED) and
a backboard immediately available to you on the pool deck next
to your station.
Have enough lifejackets on hand and require all non-swimmers
to use them.
Rope off and close all areas of the facility that have water over
5-feet deep.
Scan all areas in your assigned zone of coverage, wear your
hip pack and carry your rescue tube with you at all times.
9. In a scenario where a child is choking and unresponsive, what should a
lifeguard do after performing the cycle of 5 back blows and 5 chest
thrusts without success?
Continue with the cycle of back blows and chest thrusts.
Wait for the child to regain consciousness before taking further
action.
Administer water to the child to help dislodge the object.
Call for emergency medical assistance and begin CPR.
10. What are the key areas a lifeguard should scan while on duty?
Scanning areas around play features and structures, searching
bottom middle and surface of the water, observing for signs of
a non swimmer/inexperienced swimmer/person in trouble,
scanning areas under and around LFG station
Watching for lifeguard signals only
Questions & Answers for Lifeguard Certification Exam
1. What is one key reason why a lifeguard's behavior is important?
It reflects on their employer and patron safety.
It determines the lifeguard's salary.
It is irrelevant to the job performance.
It affects the lifeguard's personal reputation only.
2. What is the CPR ratio for infants with a single rescuer?
5-3
30-2
4-2
2-1
3. What is the correct timing for an incoming lifeguard to assume a ready
position?
Before the zone transfer
After the zone transfer
Only during an emergency
During the zone transfer
4. What is the recommended modification for a head-first surface dive in
shallow water?
Use a cannonball entry
Dive straight down without modification
,Descend at an angle instead of straight down
, Perform a feet-first entry
5. Which of the following steps should a lifeguard take when obtaining
consent from an injured or ill person before providing first aid or
emergency care?
Ask if you may help
State your name
All of these
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.
State your level of training
6. Describe why diving head-first is not recommended during a run-and-
swim entry.
Diving head-first allows for faster rescue.
Diving head-first is required by safety regulations.
Diving head-first can lead to injury and is not safe in shallow
water.
Diving head-first is the only way to reach someone quickly.
7. Why is it important for lifeguards to maintain continuous surveillance
even when they notice a hazard?
Maintaining continuous surveillance ensures the safety of
patrons while hazards are reported and addressed.
Surveillance can be paused to allow for better hazard
management.
Lifeguards can only focus on hazards and not on patrons.
, Lifeguards should prioritize addressing hazards over patron
safety.
8. You are a lifeguard on surveillance duty during a busy family swim
session. It is important to:
Have a first aid kit, an automated external defibrillator (AED) and
a backboard immediately available to you on the pool deck next
to your station.
Have enough lifejackets on hand and require all non-swimmers
to use them.
Rope off and close all areas of the facility that have water over
5-feet deep.
Scan all areas in your assigned zone of coverage, wear your
hip pack and carry your rescue tube with you at all times.
9. In a scenario where a child is choking and unresponsive, what should a
lifeguard do after performing the cycle of 5 back blows and 5 chest
thrusts without success?
Continue with the cycle of back blows and chest thrusts.
Wait for the child to regain consciousness before taking further
action.
Administer water to the child to help dislodge the object.
Call for emergency medical assistance and begin CPR.
10. What are the key areas a lifeguard should scan while on duty?
Scanning areas around play features and structures, searching
bottom middle and surface of the water, observing for signs of
a non swimmer/inexperienced swimmer/person in trouble,
scanning areas under and around LFG station
Watching for lifeguard signals only
