American Red Cross lifeguarding
written exam 2025/2026
What is the primary responsibility of a lifeguard? - ANS to prevent drowning
and other injuries from occurring at your aquatic facility.
Provide three examples of how lifeguards fulfill their primary responsibility - ANS
monitoring activities in and near the water through patron servaliance, preventing
injuries by minimizing or eliminating hazardous situations or behaviors, enforcing
facility rules and regulations and educating patrons about them, recognizing and
responding quickly and effectively to all the emergencies, administering first air and
CPR including using an automated external defibrillator (AED) and if trained,
administering emergency oxygen when needed, working as a team with other
lifeguards, faculty, and staff management.
list 5 examples of secondary responsibilities (other tasks) that should never interfere
with patron serveillance - ANS testing the pool water chemistry, assist patrons
by performing safety orientations, administering swim tests, fitting life jackets and
other duties, cleaning or performing maintenance, completing records and reports,
performing opening duties, closing duties, or facility safety checks and inspections.
list 5 characteristics of a professional lifeguard - ANS knowledgable and
skilled, reliable, mature, courteous and consistent, positive, professional, healthy and
fit
lifeguards should: - ANS always be attentive and sit or stand upright when on
surveillance duty
a lifeguard is texting while on surveillance duty and fails to recognize a swimmer in
distress. what legal principle could be a problem for this lifeguard? - ANS
negligence
list the 5 steps that a lifeguard should take when obtaining consent from an injured or
ill person before providing first air or emergency care - ANS state your name,
state your level of training, ask if you may help, 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.
what is the validity of an American Red Cross lifeguarding certification? how does an
American Red Cross certified lifeguard get recertified? - ANS (2 years.) annual
certification training.
,American Red Cross lifeguarding
written exam 2025/2026
why is it important to attend a pre-season orientation and training - ANS to
ensure lifeguards understand their responsibilities and know how to perform their
job, to ensure that they get practice with their facilities safety and rescue equipment
and emergency action plans, to ensure they understand codes, rules and regulations
of their facility.
what does EAP stand for - ANS emergency action plan
why is it important for lifeguards and other team members to understand and
practice the EAP - ANS to know what role you'll play, to know how you all work
as a team
what is the best practice for the frequency of in-service training participation at
well-managed aquatic facilities - ANS at least. hours of in service training each
month
what are the benefits of regular, frequent in-service training - ANS gives you a
chance to maintain your knowledge and skills at a professional level and practice
with the lifeguards at your facility.
list. topics that could be a discussed during in-service training - ANS
surveillance and recognition, water and land rescue skills, emergency response
drills, decision making protocols, facility rules and regulations, customer service,
records and reports and physical conditioning.
what items are considered to be personal protective equipment for a lifeguard -
ANS resuscitation mask and gloves. (may also include gowns, masks, shields,
protective eyewear)
what equipment should be worn or carried by a lifeguard at all times while on duty?
list at least two and include the reasons why this equipment should be worn or
carried - ANS rescue tube (keeping people afloat), resuscitation mask (one
way mouth to mouth contact for oxygen) and gloves (protect yourself from infectious
materials). (whistle: to signal other lifeguards)
what safety equipment/items should be easily accessible for a lifeguard while on
duty? list at least two and describe how/when each item is used - ANS back
boards (to remove victims from the water when they are unable to exit on their own),
rescue buoy (to throw to a person to keep them afloat), other personal protective
, American Red Cross lifeguarding
written exam 2025/2026
equipment (PPE), other resuscitation equipment, an automated external defibrillator
(AED), first aid supplies and rescue boards.
as a lifeguard you are responsible for? - ANS consistently enforcing your
facilities rules and regulations
list 5 common rules and regulations often posted at an aquatic facility - ANS
swim only when a lifeguard is on duty, swim diapers are required for small children or
people with incontience, no swimming with open or infected wounds, obey lifeguard
instructions at all times, no hyperventilating before swimming, underwater or breath
holding contests, no sitting of playing near or with drains or suction fittings, dive only
in designated areas, no glass containers in the pool area and locker rooms, no
alcoholic beverages or drugs allowed.
explain what it means to be equipped and rescue ready - ANS having like the
proper things on you and being alert (not doing other things)
list each type of swimmers in distress or growing victims with three observable
characteristics for each - ANS PAGE 63
DISTRESSED SWIMMER: above the water, trying to support self by holding or
clinging to a lane, line, expression for concern for personal safety, is breathing,
floating, sculling or treading water, might wave for help, horizontal, vertical, or
diagonal, little or no forward moving progress, less and less able to support self, able
to call for help but might not do so, at the surface of water.
DROWNING VICTIM- ACTIVE: someone who is struggling to remain at the surface
of the water, they are tying to keep their mouth above the water (instinctive drowning
response). they may not be able to call out for help, works to keep their face above
the water, may be horizontal face down position, has extended arms to the side or
front pressing down for support, is positioned vertically in the water with an
ineffective kick, might continued to struggle underwater once submerged, eventually
will loose consciousness and stop moving.
DROWNING VICTIM - PASSIVE: no struggle/slipping underwater due to a medical
condition such as having a heart, seizure, head injury, heart related illness,
hypothermia, hyperventilation/prolonged underwater breath holding. they might float
face down or near the surface or bottom, might be limp or have little movement, have
written exam 2025/2026
What is the primary responsibility of a lifeguard? - ANS to prevent drowning
and other injuries from occurring at your aquatic facility.
Provide three examples of how lifeguards fulfill their primary responsibility - ANS
monitoring activities in and near the water through patron servaliance, preventing
injuries by minimizing or eliminating hazardous situations or behaviors, enforcing
facility rules and regulations and educating patrons about them, recognizing and
responding quickly and effectively to all the emergencies, administering first air and
CPR including using an automated external defibrillator (AED) and if trained,
administering emergency oxygen when needed, working as a team with other
lifeguards, faculty, and staff management.
list 5 examples of secondary responsibilities (other tasks) that should never interfere
with patron serveillance - ANS testing the pool water chemistry, assist patrons
by performing safety orientations, administering swim tests, fitting life jackets and
other duties, cleaning or performing maintenance, completing records and reports,
performing opening duties, closing duties, or facility safety checks and inspections.
list 5 characteristics of a professional lifeguard - ANS knowledgable and
skilled, reliable, mature, courteous and consistent, positive, professional, healthy and
fit
lifeguards should: - ANS always be attentive and sit or stand upright when on
surveillance duty
a lifeguard is texting while on surveillance duty and fails to recognize a swimmer in
distress. what legal principle could be a problem for this lifeguard? - ANS
negligence
list the 5 steps that a lifeguard should take when obtaining consent from an injured or
ill person before providing first air or emergency care - ANS state your name,
state your level of training, ask if you may help, 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.
what is the validity of an American Red Cross lifeguarding certification? how does an
American Red Cross certified lifeguard get recertified? - ANS (2 years.) annual
certification training.
,American Red Cross lifeguarding
written exam 2025/2026
why is it important to attend a pre-season orientation and training - ANS to
ensure lifeguards understand their responsibilities and know how to perform their
job, to ensure that they get practice with their facilities safety and rescue equipment
and emergency action plans, to ensure they understand codes, rules and regulations
of their facility.
what does EAP stand for - ANS emergency action plan
why is it important for lifeguards and other team members to understand and
practice the EAP - ANS to know what role you'll play, to know how you all work
as a team
what is the best practice for the frequency of in-service training participation at
well-managed aquatic facilities - ANS at least. hours of in service training each
month
what are the benefits of regular, frequent in-service training - ANS gives you a
chance to maintain your knowledge and skills at a professional level and practice
with the lifeguards at your facility.
list. topics that could be a discussed during in-service training - ANS
surveillance and recognition, water and land rescue skills, emergency response
drills, decision making protocols, facility rules and regulations, customer service,
records and reports and physical conditioning.
what items are considered to be personal protective equipment for a lifeguard -
ANS resuscitation mask and gloves. (may also include gowns, masks, shields,
protective eyewear)
what equipment should be worn or carried by a lifeguard at all times while on duty?
list at least two and include the reasons why this equipment should be worn or
carried - ANS rescue tube (keeping people afloat), resuscitation mask (one
way mouth to mouth contact for oxygen) and gloves (protect yourself from infectious
materials). (whistle: to signal other lifeguards)
what safety equipment/items should be easily accessible for a lifeguard while on
duty? list at least two and describe how/when each item is used - ANS back
boards (to remove victims from the water when they are unable to exit on their own),
rescue buoy (to throw to a person to keep them afloat), other personal protective
, American Red Cross lifeguarding
written exam 2025/2026
equipment (PPE), other resuscitation equipment, an automated external defibrillator
(AED), first aid supplies and rescue boards.
as a lifeguard you are responsible for? - ANS consistently enforcing your
facilities rules and regulations
list 5 common rules and regulations often posted at an aquatic facility - ANS
swim only when a lifeguard is on duty, swim diapers are required for small children or
people with incontience, no swimming with open or infected wounds, obey lifeguard
instructions at all times, no hyperventilating before swimming, underwater or breath
holding contests, no sitting of playing near or with drains or suction fittings, dive only
in designated areas, no glass containers in the pool area and locker rooms, no
alcoholic beverages or drugs allowed.
explain what it means to be equipped and rescue ready - ANS having like the
proper things on you and being alert (not doing other things)
list each type of swimmers in distress or growing victims with three observable
characteristics for each - ANS PAGE 63
DISTRESSED SWIMMER: above the water, trying to support self by holding or
clinging to a lane, line, expression for concern for personal safety, is breathing,
floating, sculling or treading water, might wave for help, horizontal, vertical, or
diagonal, little or no forward moving progress, less and less able to support self, able
to call for help but might not do so, at the surface of water.
DROWNING VICTIM- ACTIVE: someone who is struggling to remain at the surface
of the water, they are tying to keep their mouth above the water (instinctive drowning
response). they may not be able to call out for help, works to keep their face above
the water, may be horizontal face down position, has extended arms to the side or
front pressing down for support, is positioned vertically in the water with an
ineffective kick, might continued to struggle underwater once submerged, eventually
will loose consciousness and stop moving.
DROWNING VICTIM - PASSIVE: no struggle/slipping underwater due to a medical
condition such as having a heart, seizure, head injury, heart related illness,
hypothermia, hyperventilation/prolonged underwater breath holding. they might float
face down or near the surface or bottom, might be limp or have little movement, have
