Lifeguarding For Dummies

✍ Scribed by Cary Epstein, Cameron DeGuzman

• Publisher: For Dummies
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 323
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Save lives, earn money, stay in shape, and have fun as a lifeguard

Lifeguarding For Dummies will give you insight into what it takes to be a lifeguard, and how to train and prepare to be a lifesaver. Lifeguarding is a fun, challenging, and rewarding job that gives you the unique ability to provide your community with a safe place to swim. It also requires quick decision-making and provides you with valuable lifelong skills, such as CPR and first aid, leadership, strong communication, and teamwork. This book walks you through the process of training, preparing for certification, and finding a job as a lifeguard. Good lifeguards are in high demand right now―check out this great job with the help of Dummies.

• Learn about the essential skills that are needed to become a lifeguard
• Decide whether lifeguarding is the right job for you
• Understand the basic types of lifeguarding jobs and how to get certified
• Try fun swimming workouts to get you prepared for lifeguarding tests

This fun book is perfect for anyone who wants to explore the possibility of becoming a lifeguard, gain some basic knowledge and prep for tests, and learn about the lifestyle of the lifeguarding community.

✦ Table of Contents

Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part 1 Getting Started with Lifeguarding
Chapter 1 Lifeguarding 101
The Importance of Lifeguarding
The Perks of Lifeguarding
Developing skills that will benefit you beyond the water
Increased self confidence
Communication skills
Leadership qualities
Teamwork
Problem-solving skills
Handling stress
Meeting all types of people
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle
Practice healthy eating habits
Get in your cardio and don’t forget to lift!
Get an appropriate amount of sleep
Take care of yourself and your body
The Tough Side of Being a Lifeguard
Being the bad cop
It’s not always waves, saves, and babes
Harsh work environments (hot and cold)
When thunder roars, stay indoors!
Facility maintenance
Decision making (am I making the right decision?)
Making mistakes and learning from them
Illness/injury
Stress
Death
While others run out, lifeguards dive in
Considering What It Takes to Be a Lifeguard
Getting into and staying in shape
Training and classroom work
Taking the required certification exams
Considering Where Lifeguards Put Their Skills to Use
At pools and waterparks
In big and small bodies of water
Chapter 2 The Elements of Lifeguarding
There’s More to Lifeguarding than Just Sitting in the Sun
Look left, look right: Constant surveillance
Watching the water
Getting paid to be professional people watchers
Understanding the Effects of Water
Swimming in salt water vs. freshwater
Gauging warm water vs. cold water
Navigating in calm water vs. turbulent water
Understanding the Effects of the Sun
Sun protection
Facts about skin cancer
Understanding the Science of Drowning
Understanding what happens when someone drowns
Secondary drowning vs. dry drowning
Knowing how fast someone can go under
Getting to Know the Equipment You’ll Use
Suiting up sensibly
A lifeguard without a whistle is like a firefighter without a hose!
The power of perching on a lifeguard stand/tower
Lookin’ cool in polarized sunglasses
Knowing your rescue equipment (all about buoys)
First Aid Techniques You Need to Know
Performing CPR
Controlling bleeding
Handling heat-related injuries
Heat cramps
Heat exhaustion
Heat stroke
Helping someone who is choking
When your victim is conscious
When your victim is unconscious
Treating a bad sunburn
Managing injuries from encounters with marine life
Chapter 3 The History of Lifeguarding
Unearthing the Origins of Lifeguarding
Shipwrecked!
Recognizing the need for lifeguards
Modern-Day Lifesaving: Lifeguarding in the 21st Century
The Baywatch effect
The lifeguard shortage
Looking at How Lifeguards Are Portrayed in Media
Part 2 Lifeguarding in the Different Facilities
Chapter 4 The Pool and Waterpark Lifeguard
Knowing What It Takes to Be a Pool Lifeguard
Passing the physical examination
Endurance test
Treading test
Brick test
Continuing your water training
Becoming certified
Getting the classroom education
Working at the waterpark
Maintaining Your Facility
Monitoring chlorine and pH levels
Checking for hazards in and around the pool
Using an equipment checklist
The Biggest Danger: Head, Neck Back/Spinal Injuries
Blowing the Whistle on Bad Behavior
“No running on the pool deck!”
“Cut out the horseplay!”
“Quit the diving board shenanigans!”
Having Eyes in the Back of Your Head
Scanning the area
Paying attention to your blind spots
Chapter 5 The Stillwater Lifeguard
Knowing What It Takes to Be a Stillwater Lifeguard
Physical training
Classroom education and water training
Required certification
Understanding the Silent but Deadly Nature of Water
Unique dangers in stillwater
Nature’s hazards
Uneven and rocky bottoms
Less buoyant than salt water
Marine life hazards
No rip currents, no problem!
Maintaining Your Facility
Watercraft
Environmental concerns (sewage runoff after rain)
Chapter 6 The Ocean Rescue Lifeguard
Knowing What It Takes to Be an Ocean Rescue Lifeguard
Physical training
Classroom education
Water training
Required certifications
Avoiding the Biggest Danger: Rip Currents
Understanding the mechanisms of a rip current
Recognizing a rip current in the water
Water discoloration
Wave recognition
Surface water recognition
Breaking the grip of a rip
Maintaining Your Facility
Lifeguarding equipment
Lifeguard stands/towers
Rescue equipment
First aid
Phones and radios
Setting up the beach
Maintaining your vehicles
Headquarters
Enjoying Recreational Activities
Chapter 7 Lifeguarding as a Career
Seeing What Opportunities Are Available
Making a living as a lifeguard
Wages and salaries
Opportunity for advancement
Public sector benefits
Exploring part-time lifeguarding options
The seasonal lifeguard
Year round part-time lifeguards
Location Makes a Difference
Working year-round on the West Coast
Filling seasonal positions in the Northeast
Finding countless opportunities in the South (and South Pacific)
Hitting the road to work anywhere in the world
Choosing a Career that Won’t Be Replaced by Technology
Part 3 Training and Preparation
Chapter 8 Diving into Training Workouts
Workouts for Strength and Stamina
Getting in the pool
Getting in the open water
Working Out in Preparation for a Certification Test
Training for the prerequisite test
Anticipating the test topics
Distance or sprint: Developing a training plan
Three Sprint Swimming Workouts
Workout 1: The Express
Workout 2: Hefty Hundreds
Workout 3: Sprint City
Three Distance Swimming Workouts
Workout 1: Going the Distance!
Workout 2: The Ladder
Workout 3: The Bearcat
Stepping on the Track
Stretching prior to running
Stretching drills
Rope stretching (static alternative)
Mobility series
Sprint drills
Grasping common track terminology
Three Distance Running Workouts
Workout 1
Workout 2
Workout 3
Three Sprint Running Workouts
Workout 1
Workout 2
Workout 3
Chapter 9 Staying in Shape All Year
Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle
Hitting the gym
Lifting weights
Upping your cardiovascular fitness
Getting in the pool
Swimming like you mean it
Chapter 10 Working on In-Service Training and Drills
Running First Aid Drills
Managing spinal injuries
Create the scenario
Recruit your victims
Mix it up
Controlling major bleeding
Know what’s in your first aid kit
Steps for stopping the bleed
Tourniquet use
Attending to drug/alcohol overdoses
Opiate overdoses
Use of Narcan/naloxone
Overdose-related drills
Alcohol-related emergencies
Responding to cardiac/respiratory arrests
Running Through Mock Water Rescues
Saving active drowning victims
Determine your role
Assess your victims
Know your equipment
Ring buoy practice rescues
Drills for approaching active drowning victims
Escape and release drills: front head-hold escape and rear head-hold escape
Treating unresponsive victims
The face down swimmer
The face up swimmer
Check the ABCs
Submersion: Search and rescue
Handling Specialized Equipment
Rescue boards
Jet skis and rescue sleds
Boats (motorized and non-motorized)
Part 4 Exploring Other Lifeguarding Activities
Chapter 11 Working Outside of Your Lifeguard Facility
Lifeguarding and Water Safety in the Private and Public Sectors
Checking Out the Types of Gigs You Can Get
Working open water swims and triathlons
Backyard pool parties and other events
Teaching others as a lifeguard training instructor
Movie, TV, and film sets
Balancing Your Full-Time Job and Side Gigs
Chapter 12 The Sport of Surf Lifesaving
Competing for Lifeguarding Excellence
Facing off against guards from near and far
Benefits to competition
Demonstrating Your Skills in Different Relays and Events
Surf race
Board rescue race
Mixed landline rescue race
Beach flags
Beach relay
Surfboat race
Entering Competitions
Finding competitions (local, regional, and national)
Knowing what you’ll pay
Seeking sponsorships
Prepping to Compete
Team workouts and preparation
Assemble the dream team
Train, train, train
Getting the equipment
Chapter 13 Starting Early: Junior Lifeguard Programs
Introducing Junior Lifeguard Programs
Creating future lifeguards
What to expect from a typical junior lifeguard program
An average day in the life of an open-water junior lifeguard
Growing as a person
Working with Junior Lifeguards as an Instructor
Entering Competitions at the Junior Level
Chapter 14 Joining a Professional Organization
Enjoying the Benefits of Professional Organizations
Seeing What Professional Organizations Are Available
The United States Lifesaving Association
The International Life Saving Federation
The American Red Cross
The Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) of the USA
Part 5 The Part of Tens
Chapter 15 The Lifeguard’s Ten Commandments
Watch the Water
Educate the Public
Protect Yourself from the Sun
Enforce the Rules
Know Your Facility
Practice Makes Perfect
When in Doubt, Go!
When Thunder Roars, Stay Indoors
Be Professional
Talk to Your Senior Guards and Heed Their Advice
Chapter 16 Ten Tools You Need in Your Backpack
A Pair of Sunglasses
A Bottle of Sunscreen
A Whistle
Your Bathing Suit
A Trusty Water Bottle
A CPR Pocket Face Mask
A Towel
A Warm Sweatshirt
A Hat
A Tasty Lunch or Snack
Chapter 17 Ten Reasons to Dive into Lifeguarding
You’ll Learn How to Save Lives
You Will Build Lifelong Skills and Character Traits
You Will Serve the Public
You’ll Make Lifelong Friendships
It’s the Fountain of Youth
You Get Paid To Do This
It’s a Never-Ending Challenge
It’s an Adrenaline Rush
You’ll Have a Different Type of Office
You Don’t Have to Quit Your Day Job
Chapter 18 Ten Reasons To GO (On the Rescue!)
You Hear “HELP!”
Climb the Ladder
Bad Hair Day
Mom Tells You To Go
Face Down and Motionless
Concussed!
Into the Deep End
The Grip of the Rip
Points for Assist
A Gut Feeling
Chapter 19 Words of Wisdom from Ten Lifeguards Near and Far
Index
EULA