American Red Cross Lifeguard Course Written Exam Practice
Test 2023/2024
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
, American Red Cross Lifeguard Course Written Exam Practice
Test 2023/2024
d. Put on appropriate PPE.: a. Begin performing the primary assessment.
5. 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.
, American Red Cross Lifeguard Course Written Exam Practice
Test 2023/2024
d. Summon more advanced medical personnel.: a. Size-up the scene while forming an initial impression.
6. 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
7. 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
8. 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.
9. 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.
Test 2023/2024
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
, American Red Cross Lifeguard Course Written Exam Practice
Test 2023/2024
d. Put on appropriate PPE.: a. Begin performing the primary assessment.
5. 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.
, American Red Cross Lifeguard Course Written Exam Practice
Test 2023/2024
d. Summon more advanced medical personnel.: a. Size-up the scene while forming an initial impression.
6. 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
7. 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
8. 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.
9. 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.
