Lifeguard Rescue Skills

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Gabrielle Friday Dr. Agbaw Foundations of Writing 101-75 Lifeguarding Rescue Skills A lifeguard must always be prepared to enter the water to make rescues. After determining that the victim needs help, the lifeguard should assess the victim’s condition and use the appropriate rescue. Using rescue equipment, making entries, rescue approaches, assists, rescues at or near the surface, rescuing a submerged victim, escapes, multiple-victim rescues, and removal from the water are all skills that can be used in most aquatic environments, although they may have to be modified in some situations. First, a lifeguard should know how to properly use rescue equipment to make a rescue safer for both the lifeguard and the victim. The primary piece of rescue equipment used by lifeguards is the rescue tube. However, state and local laws and regulations may require facilities to have specific rescue equipment available, such as ring buoys and reaching equipment. The rescue tube is a 45-to 54-inch vinyl, foam-filled tube with an attached tow line and shoulder strap. When performing patron surveillance, a lifeguard should always keep a rescue tube ready to use. A reaching pole is made of aluminum or fiberglass and is usually about 10 to 15 feet long. The shepherd’s crook is a reaching pole with a large hook on one end. A reaching pole or shepherd’s crook can be used to reach out to a distressed victim to pull him or her to safety. The ring buoy is made of buoyant material typically ranging from 20 to 30 inches in diameter. A ring buoy with an attached line allows the lifeguard to pull the victim to safety without entering the water. The typical line length ranges from 30 to 60 feet. Next, there are several ways to enter the water for a rescue. The type of entry used depends on the depth of the water, the lifeguard station (whether it is elevated or at ground level),

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