What is Water Safety?
Knowing how to be safe around any body of water and knowing what to do during water emergencies.
What is the most important thing we look for when getting a life jacket?
If it's US Coast Guard Certified
How should you escape a riptide?
Swim freestyle to the side of the current
Can we pull someone out of the water to save them?
No
What is the starting depth in most/all pools?
3 feet
What is a lifeguard?
A specially trained person who patrols around public bodies of water to prevent water safety emergencies/accidents
Name all equipment that lifeguards should wear/have
Walkie Talkie, Special Clothing, a Whistle, a Rescue Tube, a Hip Pack
What are 3 important things to look out for in a body of water before we get in?
Can we jump into the water to save someone?
No
What should you do during a natural weather disaster?
Seek cover inside a secure building/house
How can you identify if someone is in trouble or is drowning?
If they are yelling for help, splashing frantically, CANNOT stay above the water
What are the 3 most important pieces of equipment in a lifeguard's hip pack?
Gloves, a breathing mask, bandaids/gauze
What do you do if you're tired or can't swim in the water?
Roll and float on your back
WHAT is Peer Rescue?
The act of safely saving someone who is drowning when there is no adult or lifeguard present
How high does water have to be to knock you off your feet?
6 inches
What is the purpose of a swim buddy?
A buddy that we can keep track of and that has our backs if one of us is in trouble
Name 3 things to look for that show us a life jacket is safe to wear
US Coast Guard Certified, no holes/tears, the right size
How far should you be from someone before jumping into the pool?
Arms length
WHAT is HELP position? Demonstrate it
HELP position is when we curl up into a ball when wearing a lifejacket, crossing arms and legs, in order to trap body heat
What should you do if there is a flood?
Seek high ground
Name the 5 most important pool rules
Don't swim without a lifeguard/adult
No running on deck
Jump when the coast is clear
No jumping/diving in the shallow end
No flips, twists, or jumping backwards
When should we wear life jackets?
On all boats and in water that we cannot stand/swim in (like the ocean)
How can you test the depth of water?
Look for signs that say the depth or grab a long object to stick down the water until it hits the bottom
What are ALL of the steps of Peer Rescue?
Notice if someone needs help
Grab a long object
Lie on your belly
Cast the long object to the victim
Tell them to grab on
Pull them in slowly while calling for HELP
Tell them to grab the wall
Is it okay to swim near pool drains? Why/why not?
No. Pool drains can be dangerous even if they have a cover on top of them. They are dangerous because they can suck us in and cause us to drown.