Red Cross Lifeguarding Exam
RED CROSS LIFEGUARDING EXAM INCLUDES ACCURATE AND VERIFIED
QUESTIONS COVERING WATER RESCUE SKILLS, CPR/AED FOR THE
PROFESSIONAL RESCUER, FIRST AID, SPINAL INJURY MANAGEMENT,
SURVEILLANCE STRATEGIES, AND EMERGENCY ACTION PLANS.
What role might a facility safety team member who is not a lifeguard perform when there is an
emergency at the facility?
a. complete the incident report
b. help lifeguards understand the facilities emergency action plan (EAP)
c. summon EMS professionals and bring them to the scene of emergency
d. perform patron surveillance if lifeguards are not able to return to duty - ANSWER-c. summon
EMS professionals and bring them to the scene of emergency
For which critical reason should a rescuing lifeguard activate the emergency action plan (EAP)?
a. provide crowd control
b. alert other patrons of an emergency
c. get the attention of the drowning person
d. alert other lifeguards/staff members of the safety team - ANSWER-d. alert other
lifeguards/staff members of the safety team
Which step should a lifeguard take first when identifying that a person is drowning?
a. clear the zone
b. gather emergency equipment
c. activate the emergency action plan
d. move the person to a save exit point - ANSWER-c. activate the emergency action plan
Which technique should a lifeguard use for an active front rescue?
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, Red Cross Lifeguarding Exam
a. thrust the rescue tube into the persons chest to provide support
b. squeeze the tube between their chest and the persons back
c. extend the rescue tube to the person and ask them to grab it
d. position the rescue tube below the persons shoulders so their head falls back into an open-
airway position - ANSWER-a. thrust the rescue tube into the persons chest to provide support
Which technique should a lifeguard use when towing a passive drowning person at or near the
surface of the water to the exit point?
a. use spinal motion restriction techniques
b. talk to the drowning person to keep them calm
c. lay the drowning persons head back in an open airway position
d. maintain the drowning person in a vertical position in the water to keep the head up -
ANSWER-c. lay the drowning persons head back in an open airway position
What technique should a lifeguard use when rescuing a passive drowning person submerged in
shallow water?
a. use a feet-first surface dive
b. quickly swim or walk to their side
c. facing the opposite direction of the person, reach down and grab their wrists
d. pick the person up and remain in place while turning them on their back - ANSWER-b. quickly
swim or walk to their side
During a rapid extraction of a passive drowning person from the edge of the water, once the
person is centered on the backboard, the rescuing and assisting lifeguards should move the
backboard to which position when pulling it out of the water?
a. horizontal
b. near horizontal
c. vertical
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, Red Cross Lifeguarding Exam
d. near vertical - ANSWER-b. near horizontal
After providing first aid to a patron who had a bleeding wound, a lifeguard properly removes
their latex-free disposable gloves. Which statement demonstrates that the lifeguard
understands how to properly dispose of these gloves?
a. "I dont need to throw them away they look clean"
b. "If I use hot water and antibacterial soap to wash them, then I can use the gloves again"
c. "I should use a red biohazard bag to throw away disposable gloves contaminated with blood"
d. " I can put the gloves in my hip pack and throw them in the dumpster when I leave" -
ANSWER-c. "I should use a red biohazard bag to throw away disposable gloves contaminated
with blood"
In which situation is consent implied?
a. a 64-year-old is having chest pain and is awake and alert
b. an 8-year-old is choking and their parent is not present
c. an unresponsive 12-year-old is unresponsive and has a head laceration and their parent is
present
d. a 23-year-old is alone, has a possible fracture from a fall and is awake and alert - ANSWER-b.
an 8-year-old is choking and their parent is not present
For which reason should a lifeguard perform a rapid assessment during a medical emergency?
a. to check the patron from head to toe for signs and symptoms of illness and injury
b. to ask the patron details about their health history
c. to determine the cause of the medical emergency
d. to identify and immediately address life-threatening conditions - ANSWER-d. to identify and
immediately address life-threatening conditions
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, Red Cross Lifeguarding Exam
An adult is unresponsive after collapsing at the waterfront while playing with their children.
After opening the airway, for how many seconds should a lifeguard simultaneously check for
breathing and a pulse?
a. no more than 5 seconds
b. no more than 10 seconds
c. no more than 15 seconds
d. no more than 20 seconds - ANSWER-b. no more than 10 seconds
Where should a lifeguard check for a pulse on an infant?
a. brachial pulse
b. carotid pulse
c. radial pulse
d. femoral pulse - ANSWER-a. brachial pulse
A passive drowning person has been extricated from the water. During the rapid assessment the
lifeguard determines that the person has no pulse and is in cardiac arrest. What should the
lifeguards first action be?
a. give 1 ventilation
b. give 2 ventilations
c. begin chest compressions
d. put the person in recovery position - ANSWER-b. give 2 ventilations
Which action should the lifeguard perform to properly use a resuscitation mask on an adult?
a. push down on the persons chin, place the mask and blow into the one-way valve
b. seal the mask, open the airway and blow into the one-way valve
c. inflate the mask, tilt the persons head and blow into the one-way valve
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RED CROSS LIFEGUARDING EXAM INCLUDES ACCURATE AND VERIFIED
QUESTIONS COVERING WATER RESCUE SKILLS, CPR/AED FOR THE
PROFESSIONAL RESCUER, FIRST AID, SPINAL INJURY MANAGEMENT,
SURVEILLANCE STRATEGIES, AND EMERGENCY ACTION PLANS.
What role might a facility safety team member who is not a lifeguard perform when there is an
emergency at the facility?
a. complete the incident report
b. help lifeguards understand the facilities emergency action plan (EAP)
c. summon EMS professionals and bring them to the scene of emergency
d. perform patron surveillance if lifeguards are not able to return to duty - ANSWER-c. summon
EMS professionals and bring them to the scene of emergency
For which critical reason should a rescuing lifeguard activate the emergency action plan (EAP)?
a. provide crowd control
b. alert other patrons of an emergency
c. get the attention of the drowning person
d. alert other lifeguards/staff members of the safety team - ANSWER-d. alert other
lifeguards/staff members of the safety team
Which step should a lifeguard take first when identifying that a person is drowning?
a. clear the zone
b. gather emergency equipment
c. activate the emergency action plan
d. move the person to a save exit point - ANSWER-c. activate the emergency action plan
Which technique should a lifeguard use for an active front rescue?
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, Red Cross Lifeguarding Exam
a. thrust the rescue tube into the persons chest to provide support
b. squeeze the tube between their chest and the persons back
c. extend the rescue tube to the person and ask them to grab it
d. position the rescue tube below the persons shoulders so their head falls back into an open-
airway position - ANSWER-a. thrust the rescue tube into the persons chest to provide support
Which technique should a lifeguard use when towing a passive drowning person at or near the
surface of the water to the exit point?
a. use spinal motion restriction techniques
b. talk to the drowning person to keep them calm
c. lay the drowning persons head back in an open airway position
d. maintain the drowning person in a vertical position in the water to keep the head up -
ANSWER-c. lay the drowning persons head back in an open airway position
What technique should a lifeguard use when rescuing a passive drowning person submerged in
shallow water?
a. use a feet-first surface dive
b. quickly swim or walk to their side
c. facing the opposite direction of the person, reach down and grab their wrists
d. pick the person up and remain in place while turning them on their back - ANSWER-b. quickly
swim or walk to their side
During a rapid extraction of a passive drowning person from the edge of the water, once the
person is centered on the backboard, the rescuing and assisting lifeguards should move the
backboard to which position when pulling it out of the water?
a. horizontal
b. near horizontal
c. vertical
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, Red Cross Lifeguarding Exam
d. near vertical - ANSWER-b. near horizontal
After providing first aid to a patron who had a bleeding wound, a lifeguard properly removes
their latex-free disposable gloves. Which statement demonstrates that the lifeguard
understands how to properly dispose of these gloves?
a. "I dont need to throw them away they look clean"
b. "If I use hot water and antibacterial soap to wash them, then I can use the gloves again"
c. "I should use a red biohazard bag to throw away disposable gloves contaminated with blood"
d. " I can put the gloves in my hip pack and throw them in the dumpster when I leave" -
ANSWER-c. "I should use a red biohazard bag to throw away disposable gloves contaminated
with blood"
In which situation is consent implied?
a. a 64-year-old is having chest pain and is awake and alert
b. an 8-year-old is choking and their parent is not present
c. an unresponsive 12-year-old is unresponsive and has a head laceration and their parent is
present
d. a 23-year-old is alone, has a possible fracture from a fall and is awake and alert - ANSWER-b.
an 8-year-old is choking and their parent is not present
For which reason should a lifeguard perform a rapid assessment during a medical emergency?
a. to check the patron from head to toe for signs and symptoms of illness and injury
b. to ask the patron details about their health history
c. to determine the cause of the medical emergency
d. to identify and immediately address life-threatening conditions - ANSWER-d. to identify and
immediately address life-threatening conditions
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, Red Cross Lifeguarding Exam
An adult is unresponsive after collapsing at the waterfront while playing with their children.
After opening the airway, for how many seconds should a lifeguard simultaneously check for
breathing and a pulse?
a. no more than 5 seconds
b. no more than 10 seconds
c. no more than 15 seconds
d. no more than 20 seconds - ANSWER-b. no more than 10 seconds
Where should a lifeguard check for a pulse on an infant?
a. brachial pulse
b. carotid pulse
c. radial pulse
d. femoral pulse - ANSWER-a. brachial pulse
A passive drowning person has been extricated from the water. During the rapid assessment the
lifeguard determines that the person has no pulse and is in cardiac arrest. What should the
lifeguards first action be?
a. give 1 ventilation
b. give 2 ventilations
c. begin chest compressions
d. put the person in recovery position - ANSWER-b. give 2 ventilations
Which action should the lifeguard perform to properly use a resuscitation mask on an adult?
a. push down on the persons chin, place the mask and blow into the one-way valve
b. seal the mask, open the airway and blow into the one-way valve
c. inflate the mask, tilt the persons head and blow into the one-way valve
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