The American Red Cross Lifeguarding course aims to provide entry-level lifeguard participants with the knowledge and skills to prevent, recognize, and respond to aquatic emergencies and provide care for breathing and cardiac emergencies, injuries, and sudden illnesses until emergency medical services personnel take over.
Lifeguarding: Day 1
Lifeguarding: Day 2
Today, we were back in the pool. We learned about both rear and front passive rescues, submerged victim rescues, two-person removals with backboards, and spinal injury rescues. Teams worked on practicing the timed skills we will be assessed later in the week. We also learned some shallow and deep water life-saving skills. Tomorrow we will spend time in the classroom working out CPR and First Aid.
Lifeguarding: Day 3
Today was not the most exciting day for the students. they spent the morning in the classroom and worked hard to get through the online material to become a lifeguard and help them study for the written portion of the lifeguard test. After finishing the classroom work, we moved on to CPR. Students started by learning to perform CPR on an infant. After mastering CPR on a child, the students then transitioned to performing CPR on adults. After learning how to do CPR independently, students worked in teams, putting their newly acquired skills into action for real-life situations they could face. We finished the day, reviewing the steps to first aid and CPR and then acted out different first aid scenarios and the emergency action plan. Overall, we learned a lot about using CPR, first aid, how to save lives, as well as how to prevent serious situations.
Lifeguarding: Day 4
The day started with the students being broken into groups, to discuss how to handle first aid situations they were given. Each group had to present what they would do and afterward, students could ask questions. Then students took time to take the written portion of their lifeguarding test, which everyone passed!
Lifeguarding: Day 5
Today was another testing day. The students had to pass an individual test before becoming lifeguards. The test consisted of a deepwater victim rescue, removal of the victim from the water on a backboard with help and finally administering CPR. The last thing necessary to become lifeguards was a team test, demonstrating those same skills but working in a team to make a rescue and administer CPR. They made it, officially lifeguards!