Red Cross Lifeguarding Written Exam cheat sheet

The lifeguard's primary responsibility is prevention: surveillance, rule enforcement, and hazard recognition come before rescue.

RID factor (Recreation, Instruction, Distraction) names the three categories of inattention that precede most drowning events; scanning discipline targets all three.

10/20 protection rule: scan the entire assigned zone every 10 seconds and reach any victim within the zone within 20 seconds.

Zone coverage should overlap adjacent guards' zones slightly so no area goes unwatched during a scan transition.

Rescue sequence for a conscious victim: recognize, activate emergency action plan (whistle/EAP signal), enter, approach, perform the appropriate assist or rescue, remove from water, assess and care.

Front rescue approach is used for a conscious victim facing the guard; rear approach is used when the victim is facing away or combative.

A passive victim face-down at the surface is treated as a suspected spinal injury until proven otherwise; use in-line stabilization and a backboard with at least two rescuers.

Active drowning victims cannot call for help or wave; the instinctive drowning response shows vertical body, head back, arms pressing down at the surface, no forward progress.

Head, neck, and spinal injury precautions apply to any mechanism involving diving into shallow water, a fall from height, a slide, or a collision in the water.

Adult CPR compression rate is 100-120 per minute; compression depth is at least 2 inches (5 cm) but not more than 2.4 inches (6 cm).

Adult compression-to-ventilation ratio is 30:2 for one or two rescuers; pediatric (child/infant) single-rescuer ratio is also 30:2, while two-rescuer pediatric ratio is 15:2.

Child CPR depth is about one-third the depth of the chest, roughly 2 inches; infant depth is about 1.5 inches (4 cm), using two fingers or two-thumb encircling technique.

For an unresponsive drowning victim, give 2 rescue breaths first, then begin compressions; hypoxia is the usual cause of arrest in drowning.

Rescue breathing for an adult is 1 breath every 5-6 seconds (about 10-12 per minute); for a child or infant, 1 breath every 3-5 seconds.

Allow full chest recoil between compressions and minimize interruptions to less than 10 seconds.

Check for breathing and pulse simultaneously for no more than 10 seconds before starting CPR.

An AED should be applied as soon as available; resume compressions immediately after the shock or after the no-shock prompt.

High-quality CPR feedback: correct hand placement on the lower half of the sternum, arms straight, shoulders over hands, and rotate compressors about every 2 minutes.

Turn on the AED and follow its voice prompts; the device analyzes rhythm and prompts shock or no shock.

Bare and dry the victim's chest; remove medication patches and wipe the area before placing pads.

Adult pad placement is anterior-lateral: one pad below the right clavicle, one on the left lateral chest below the armpit.

Do not place pads over an implanted pacemaker or defibrillator; position pads at least 1 inch away from the device.

Clear the victim before delivering a shock: state 'clear,' visually check, and ensure no one is touching the victim or stretcher.

For a victim in water, remove the victim from the water and dry the chest before using an AED; never use an AED in standing water.

Use pediatric pads or the pediatric attenuator for children under 8 years or under about 55 pounds when available; if not available, use adult pads.

Resume CPR immediately after the shock or no-shock prompt and continue until the victim shows signs of life, an advanced provider takes over, or you are too exhausted to continue.

An AED will not shock a non-shockable rhythm; it only advises a shock for ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia.

Severe bleeding: apply direct pressure with a dressing, add layers if bleeding continues, and use a tourniquet only when direct pressure fails on an extremity.

Shock signs include pale or cool clammy skin, rapid weak pulse, rapid breathing, restlessness, and thirst; keep the victim lying down and warm and do not give food or drink.

For a suspected head, neck, or spinal injury, minimize movement and stabilize the head in the position found until EMS arrives.

Heat exhaustion: move to a cool place, loosen clothing, cool with wet cloths, and give water if the victim is alert; heat stroke (altered mental status, hot skin) requires immediate cooling and EMS.

Anaphylaxis signs include hives, facial or throat swelling, and difficulty breathing; help the victim use their prescribed epinephrine auto-injector and call EMS.

For a diabetic emergency with an alert victim who can swallow, give sugar; if the victim is unresponsive, do not give anything by mouth and call EMS.

Splint a suspected fracture in the position found, check circulation, sensation, and movement beyond the injury before and after splinting.

For a choking conscious adult, give back blows and abdominal thrusts; for an infant, use back blows and chest thrusts, never abdominal thrusts.