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60-426: A lifeguard is a rescuer who supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers , surfers , and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool , water park , beach , spa , river and lake . Lifeguards are trained in swimming and CPR / AED first aid , certified in water rescue using a variety of aids and equipment depending on requirements of their particular venue. In some areas, lifeguards are part of

120-503: A San Diego County jury verdict affirmed in full on appeal in 2014. Another noteworthy risk of injury is known as off throttle steering, which results from the lack of steering capability while off throttle in certain models of PWCs. This can result in death or serious bodily injuries. While also rare, spinal injuries can occur while surf jumping and, potentially, wake jumping. The PWC manufacturers' owner's manuals all include warnings regarding jumping at excessive heights, or operating

180-421: A PWC if there is a prior history of back injury. The current on-product labels say "Jumping wakes or waves can increase the risk of spinal/backbone injuries (paralysis)". The current Kawasaki owner's manual provides: "Slow down before crossing waves. Do not ride if you have a back condition. High speed operation in choppy or rough water may cause back injuries." Another rare, but unique injury risk with jetboats,

240-401: A clear basis for preventing drowning which includes: The lifeguard is able to provide all these elements to help prevent drownings (or other incidents) in their area of responsibility, and for this reason this should be the primary focus of a lifeguard's activities, as it is better to stop an incident from occurring rather than reacting once it has occurred. This means that the effectiveness of

300-634: A division of the California State Parks Peace Officer department, perform law enforcement duties in addition to regular lifeguard tasks. Every lifeguard has to undergo a certification course in order to be able to work as a lifeguard. Certain certification companies, such as the Red Cross or Ellis and Associates, are in charge of the certification process. Certification usually lasts for 1–2 years, but can last up to 5. Classes last 25–30 hours and will generally be held over

360-462: A few days, with the hours per day varying depending on the number of days needed. At the end of the certification class, lifeguards are required to take a final exam, and will only receive a certificate if they pass the final exam. Lifeguards are then required to do additional training throughout the duration of their certification at the discretion of the facility they work for. Most skills taught in various lifeguard certification classes are similar or

420-451: A large rigid or inflatable boats , personal water crafts, or hovercraft . In Australia lifeguards are distinguished from surf life savers . Lifeguards are paid employees who patrol beaches, lakes and pools/aquatic venues. Beach lifeguards are usually employed by local government authorities and patrol the beach throughout the year. Surf Lifesavers are a large voluntary organization that patrol beaches on weekends and public holidays during

480-401: A lifeguard unit can be measured not by the number or rapidity of rescues, or the skill with which they are executed, but by the absence or reduction of drownings , accidents , and other medical emergencies . Prevention is an effective skill that is vitally important to a lifeguard because it can aid in maintaining the safety of the aquatic patrons. A lifeguard's key duties (usually as part of

540-679: A mix of new and current racers to a new type of racing and in 2013, P1 rolled out a second series in the USA. Such was the uptake that the original format needed revising to cope with the influx of new riders and by the end of 2015 over 400 riders from 11 countries had registered to compete in an AquaX event. In the United States, the main sanctioning bodies are the International Jet Sport Boating Association (IJSBA) and Pro Watercross (PWX). As of 2022,

600-451: A more extensive advanced first aid that is known as Title 22 First Aid For Public Safety Personnel. Some lifeguards are crossed trained as emergency medical technicians as a part of their emergency services system. In certain jurisdictions, lifeguards may use airway adjuncts such as nasopharyngeal airways and oropharyngeal airways . Lifeguards will sometimes use rescue watercraft to rescue victims that are either far away or when there

660-450: A primary duty to supervise their responsibility area. To achieve this the lifeguard needs an optimum position to observe the public. This is often best achieved from an elevated position, which can be a chair, platform or the roof of a vehicle. This allows them maximum visibility over their supervised area and may facilitate communication between them and their team. Some lifeguard teams use portable platforms or chairs which can be moved to

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720-660: A prototype and submitted a patent to the government of the Kingdom of Greece on the 5th June 1970, with serial number 40056. He never exploited the invention commercially. He died on March 5, 2022. Stand-up PWCs were first produced by the Japanese company Kawasaki (under the Jet Ski brand) in 1972, and appeared on the US market in 1973. These were mass-produced boats to be used by only one rider. While they are still produced today,

780-435: A rescuer is to save lives in a dangerous environment. A rescuer in a fire department is very different between western and eastern cultures. A rescuer in the military is a soldier or sailor who has extra training in diver rescue, mountain rescue, or in extrication. Commonly these rescuers are known from Coast Guard service, where they are seen saving people during a dangerous encounter. A normal military rescuer's duty

840-492: A scenario meant to model real life, and vigilance awareness testing. Lifeguards also must be recertified regularly, as lifeguard certifications expire after some time. There are four main types of water entries: These entries are used in different scenarios depending on if the victim is passive, or conscious, whether they are in deep or shallow water, and if they have a potential head, neck or spinal injury. While performing patron surveillance (usually from an elevated stand or

900-554: A team, but in some places, lifeguards may be required to work on their own) are to: Lifeguards may have other secondary duties such as cleaning, filing paperwork, checking a swimming pool's chlorine and pH levels, or acting as a general information point. It is important that lifeguards never allow their secondary responsibilities to interfere with their primary responsibilities. Lifeguards may also be required to attend occasional in-service meetings to discuss strategy, patron safety and water skills. The California State Lifeguards,

960-487: A water-level standing or sitting position) lifeguards watch for and recognize struggling or drowning swimmers, and swimmers with sudden medical conditions such as a stroke, heart attack, asthma, diabetes, or seizures. Lifeguards look for swimmers in various categories and conditions: Lifeguards can be found patrolling many different types of water, and each type has its own unique features, duties and challenges. Locations where lifeguards can be found include: Lifeguards have

1020-654: A weak swimmer). Lifeguards are not there to prevent dangerous activities, however, some are trained to teach others how to swim as apart of their job. Glendale, California, lifeguards are trained to not only save lives and watch the water, but to also teach people how to swim. The Pacific Community Pool in Glendale, California not only has swimming lessons, but a swim and water-polo team. The responsibilities of lifeguards are expanded from saving lives to teaching others how to swim and to learn water sports, both of which are important to water safety. The drowning chain provides

1080-501: A well-stocked first aid kit available. They may have advanced first aid items such as supplemental oxygen , airway management devices, a suction device , a resuscitator , a defibrillator or AED , or a spinal board . Lifeguards are trained to contact EMS personnel immediately. If a drowning victim has been rescued the victim might need EMS attention or extensive medical treatment. Certain California lifeguards are trained in

1140-528: A whistle is used in the pool leisure facility (public and private), the following signals are used by some lifeguards with a whistle (It is always important to remember that each facility may have their own standards and procedures for their whistle protocol). For duty areas over a wide area, such as beaches and lakes, lifeguards may require transport over distance and they may use land transport including pick-up trucks , quad bikes , gators, or other off-road vehicle . They may also use larger water craft such as

1200-481: Is a "stand-up" type, typically built for only one occupant who operates the watercraft standing up as in riding a motorized scooter ; it is used more for doing tricks, racing, and in competitions. Both styles have an inboard engine driving a pump-jet that has a screw-shaped impeller to create thrust for propulsion and steering. Most are designed for two or three people, though four-passenger models exist. Many of today's models are built for more extended use and have

1260-449: Is being sucked into the intake side of the pump jet. Current PWC products contain on-product warnings that state: " Keep away from Intake Grate while the engine is on. Items such as long hair, loose clothing, or PFD straps can become entangled in moving parts and result in severe injury or drowning". There have been fatal accidents involving PWCs. In a notable case, U.S. astronaut Alan G. Poindexter died in 2012 from injuries sustained in

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1320-437: Is designed to hold only a small number of occupants, who sit or stand on top of the craft, not within the craft as in a boat . Prominent brands of PWCs include Jet Skis and Sea-Doos. PWCs have two style categories. The first and the most popular is a compact runabout , typically holding no more than two or three people, who mainly sit on top of the watercraft as one does when riding an ATV or snowmobile . The second style

1380-675: Is ejected) off the back can land directly in the path of the PWC's high-pressure jet of water. Unless a rider is appropriately dressed in garments made out of a strong, thick substance like neoprene (as is commonly found in wetsuits ), the jet may penetrate any orifice it reaches. All major PWC manufacturers warn about this risk and recommend that passengers wear wet suit bottoms or equivalent protection. The American Waterski Racing Association recommends that all of their racers wear wet suit bottoms for this same reason. Such orifice injuries can result in permanent disability or death. For example, in 2006,

1440-426: Is large surf, i.e. big waves. Types of rescue watercraft: Effective communications are vital for lifeguards and they may choose to use whistles , two-way radios , megaphones or signal flares . A more traditional method of communication with the public is through the use of colored flags, which can be raised over permanent or temporary flag poles to inform the public of different information. More often than not

1500-406: Is often marked with a flag or flags to enable location by the public. These flags may also give information to the bathers about current swimming conditions. Other options, depending on the location, can include patrolling the edge of the water on foot, which allows closer interaction with the public, and the opportunity to provide face to face reassurance and advice, or supervising from within or on

1560-624: Is ruled by each national federation's member of the U.I.M. Aquabike World Championship is known among the motorsports with most different national entries for each competition, reaching up to 32 nationalities and 140 riders registered to compete in Italy in 2018. Other private competitions also exist, such as P1 AquaX, which is a personal watercraft racing series, first launched in the UK in May 2011 by London-based sports promoter Powerboat P1. The series attracted

1620-640: Is the responsibility of the owner of the place. Like the military police , responsible for ostensive policing, the members of the fire departments are also considered military, including lifeguards. The state military police and state fire departments are auxiliary institutions and reserves of the Brazilian Army . Considering the service provided by fire departments insufficient, some Brazilian cities have their own lifeguard services, but most Brazilian lifeguards are members of fire departments. In Canada, all lifeguards and assistant lifeguards are certified by

1680-429: Is to save another military personnel during combat or normal operations. This job-, occupation-, or vocation-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This emergency services –related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Personal watercraft A personal watercraft ( PWC ), also called water scooter , is a primarily recreational watercraft that

1740-565: The California Court of Appeal for the First Appellate District upheld a $ 3.7 million Napa County jury verdict against Polaris Industries arising out of one such incident (which had devastating effects on the victim's lower abdomen). It is also possible for multiple riders on the same PWC to sustain orifice injuries in a single accident, as actually occurred in a 2007 accident at Mission Bay which resulted in

1800-705: The Lifesaving Society of Canada . The lifeguarding certification offered by the LSS is the National Lifeguard program, which was officially launched in 1964. There are four types of lifeguard certification: pool, waterpark , waterfront and surf. As of December 31, 2022, the Canadian Red Cross Lifeguard and Learn to Swim programs were retired. Canadian Red Cross wanted to focus their efforts on humanitarian relief. In Denmark

1860-576: The emergency services system to incidents and in some communities, lifeguards may function as the primary EMS provider. A lifeguard is responsible for the safety of people in an area of water, and usually a defined area immediately surrounding or adjacent to it, such as a beach next to an ocean or lake. The priority is to ensure no harm comes to users of the area for which they are responsible. Lifeguards often take on this responsibility upon employment, However, there may also be volunteer lifeguards. The conditions resulting in drowning are summarized by

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1920-412: The ' drowning chain ' in which each link can lead directly to an incident, or contribute to a succession of links. It consists of lack of education about water safety or local conditions, a lack of safety advice (for example, about rip currents at a beach) a lack of protection (like no flotation device for a weak swimmer), lack of safety supervision, or an inability to cope with conditions (strong surf with

1980-409: The 1970s. In the 1960s, the idea was developed further by Clayton Jacobson II of Lake Havasu City, Arizona , USA. Originally a motocross enthusiast, Jacobson's idea was designed in the mid-1960s, powered by an internal pump-jet rather than an outboard motor , made of all aluminum, and had a fixed, upright handle. Jacobson eventually quit his job in banking to devote himself to developing

2040-571: The Belgian coast joined the IKWV This is the coordinating organisation for all the municipalities for lifeguard service. The organisation of IKWV has made the Belgian coastline one of the safest coastlines of the world in a couple decades. In Brazil , firefighting services, accident assistance, and the rescue of people drowning on beaches, rivers, and lakes are maintained by each state's fire department. The rescue of drowning people in private places

2100-476: The PWC industry's fastest-growing segments. Lifeguards use PWCs equipped with rescue platforms to rescue water users from trouble, as well as flood survivors, and carry them to safety. Police and rangers use them to enforce laws in coastal waters, lakes and rivers. A PWC combined with a wash-reduction system, carrying waterproof loudspeaker equipment and GPS for instructions and distance measurement, has reportedly been used by assistant coaches for rowing sports on

2160-504: The River Tyne. Further, PWCs are used by the U.S. Navy as surface targets. When equipped with GPS, electronic compass, radar reflector, and a radio modem, the PWC can be controlled remotely with a two-way link. Its small shipboard footprint allows it to be stored in and deployed from the smallest of vessels, and it has been used for target practice for armaments of sizes from 5 in (13 cm) cannon to small arms . Apart from

2220-574: The United Kingdom National Pool Lifeguard Qualification . The standard requires scanning from one side of the pool to the other, or the designated area, in 10 seconds, with the lifeguard no further than 20 seconds away from any swimmer in difficulty in the lifeguard's area. In most countries, lifeguards use similar flag signs to signal swimmers their presence, specific areas and possible dangers: Equipment used by lifeguards will vary depending on

2280-682: The United Kingdom and Europe in the mid-1950s, with models such as the British 200cc propeller-driven Vincent Amanda , and the German Wave Roller . Two thousand Vincent Amandas were exported to Australia, Asia, Europe and the United States. The Sea Skimmer was introduced in 1961 as a highly maneuverable version of a propelled surfboard. It was 1.7 m (5.6 ft) long, powered by an inboard/outboard motor and reached speeds up to 40 km/h (25 mph). The rider lay on

2340-405: The aquatic facility follows. For example, a beach facility may practice beachfront saves and search-and-rescue scenarios, where an indoor pool facility whose lifeguards are responsible for the whole building may practice scenarios that simulate emergencies in different parts of the building. These in-service trainings are meant to serve as practice in order to maintain and develop skills taught during

2400-683: The boat, controlling the speed with hand throttles and using the feet as rudders. Originally manufactured in Kansas City, operations moved to Boynton, Florida, in 1962, and the name was changed to Aqua-Skimmer. Aqua-Skimmer ceased operations in 1962 and sold its inventory to the military. Renamed Aqua Dart (Aqua Dart INC), the Sea Skimmer, Aqua Skimmer, Aqua Dart was modified for military requirements, and saw service in 1962 river reconnaissance missions in Vietnam and other military missions until

2460-509: The certification process. Examples of these trainings include First Aid/CPR/AED skill review and Aquatic Emergency Action Plan Drills. Additionally, some certification companies outside of the facility may audit or examine lifeguards during their rotations. These visits are meant to serve as both a test of preparedness and also as a learning experience and a chance to improve on weaker skills. Visits are generally unannounced and may include videoing of on-duty lifeguards, skills evaluations involving

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2520-424: The certification process. These prerequisites will usually include a mid-distance swim, a timed water tread, and diving for a weighted brick at the bottom of the pool. Many aquatic facilities will have their lifeguards undergo additional Lifeguard Training Classes for the duration of their certification. The nature and frequency of these additional training depends on the aquatic facility and the certification company

2580-656: The competitors are classified according to the type of watercraft used (with stand-up or saddle). The sport is ruled by the World Powerboating Federation ( Union Internationale Motonautique , U.I.M.) recognised by the International Olympic Committee . The current official world series, established in 1996, is the Aquabike World Championship . The sport is also established at the national level and

2640-497: The councils at the Zealand Northshore. In Copenhagen there is Team Bade lifeguard service, run by Copenhagen Municipality. All public pools (both commercial and government) are required to "provide a secure and safe environment" and thus lifeguards. Unlike the beach lifeguards, these have to pass a government approved test as well as a yearly a physical examination and first aid test. Rescuer The main job of

2700-685: The death by drowning at the Belgian coast. Because the North Sea only borders Flanders , more particularly the province of West Flanders , the training of the lifeguards is organised by that province. Beach lifeguards in Belgium are trained by the WOBRA and are mostly students who are employed for a month during the summer holidays (July and August). Some municipalities also employ lifeguards in June and September. To obtain uniformity, all municipalities from

2760-409: The effectiveness of a rescue, and this dictates the types of rescue aids that a lifeguard should have available. Lifeguards are supposed to have some equipment to aid rescues. After determining a swimmer is in trouble they try to help in ways that will not result in a threat to the life of the lifeguard or others. This is done by helping at a distance by using a pole; a lifebuoy may be thrown, wading to

2820-453: The exception of freestyle, there are at least two categories: saddle jets and stand-up jets. For speed races, gear is generally classified according to the degree of authorized modifications: minor modifications fall into the so-called "stock" category, intermediate modifications into the so-called "limited" category, and more extensive modifications into the category. known as "F1". In freestyle and freeride, these categories do not exist; rather,

2880-601: The fuel capacity to make long cruises, in some cases even beyond 160 kilometres (100 miles). Personal watercraft are often referred by the trademarked brand names of Kawasaki ( Jet Ski ), Yamaha ( WaveRunner ), Bombardier ( Sea-Doo ), Elaqua (E-PWC) and Honda (AquaTrax). The United States Coast Guard defines a personal watercraft, amongst other criteria, as a jet-drive boat less than 12 feet (3.7 m) long. There are many larger " jetboats " not classed as PWCs, some more than 40 feet (12 m) long. Water scooters—as they were originally termed—were first developed in

2940-452: The idea, and had a working prototype by 1965. It differed slightly from modern personal watercraft but had definite similarities. He completed a second prototype a year later made of fiberglass. The first Clayton-type PWC to reach the market was designed by Bombardier in the late 1960s. Bombardier's original designs were not very popular and Bombardier left the business before 1970. In Greece, an inventor named Dimitrios T. Moraitidis, built

3000-407: The lifeguard-services are divided into two major groups. The beach lifeguards, which are established on a voluntarily basis by the beach administrators (in most cases the municipality ). There are three main lifeguard service providers, one heavily sponsored: TrygFonden Kystlivredning, which is backed by TrygFonden (Danish Foundation) while Den Nordsjællandske Kystlivredningstjeneste are sponsored by

3060-451: The location and specific conditions encountered. Certain equipment is relatively universal such as a whistle for attracting the attention of the public or other members of the team, a first aid kit and rescue aids. Other equipment includes, but is not limited to, rescue cans, rescue tubes, rescue boards, spinal boards, AEDs, trauma bags, and oxygen. There is a hierarchy of rescue techniques which minimizes danger to lifeguards and maximizes

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3120-413: The more popular design is the sit-down variety of PWC. These sit-down runabouts have been produced by Kawasaki (Jetski), Bombardier ( Sea-Doo ), Yamaha ( WaveRunner ), Honda (AquaTrax), Polaris (Sealion) and Arctic Cat ( Tigershark ). As of 2010, the major manufacturers of PWCs were Kawasaki, Bombardier and Yamaha. Both Yamaha and Kawasaki continue to sell stand-up models but it is a small percentage of

3180-453: The most appropriate position. This can take account of changes such as a specific activity taking place, prevailing wind direction or simply enable lifeguards to move closer to the water if the tide goes out on a beach. The chair or tower can also act as storage for the lifeguard, holding important rescue and communication equipment nearby. It can also act as a recognizable point for the public to find lifeguard assistance. For this reason, it

3240-427: The obvious hazards of collisions and mechanical breakdowns common to all vehicles , operating or riding a PWC can involve a risk of orifice injuries. These injuries are typical of the kinds of injuries that waterskiers experience as a result of falling into the water at speed. Such injuries can occur from simply falling in the water at speed or they can occur from the output end of the pump jet. A rider who falls (or

3300-482: The overall market. Electric PWCs were commercialized in the early 2020s. Electric watercraft are increasing in popularity as gasoline engines produce greenhouse gases and can eject motor oil and gasoline directly into waterways . PWC racing competitions take place around the world. There are several disciplines: closed circuit speed races, offshore speed races (offshore), endurance races, freestyle (freestyle) and freeride events. For all these types of events, with

3360-529: The same, but some skills may vary minorly based on the certification company. Additionally, different in-water skills will be taught depending on the facility certifying the lifeguard, i.e., shallow/deep water pools, water parks, beaches, etc. Training equipment required in certification classes include: Some of the various out-of-water skills taught are: Some of the various in-water skills taught are: Most lifeguard certification companies require potential lifeguards to demonstrate strong swimming skills prior to

3420-819: The sport is experiencing exceeding levels of fragmentation and conflict due to poor management of the sanctioning bodies and non-constructive competition between organizations. The IJSBA World Finals competition is traditionally held in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, in early October. The Pro Watercross World Finals are typically held in Naples, Florida, in November. PWCs are small, fast, easily handled, fairly easy to use, and affordable, and their propulsion systems do not have external propellers, making them in some respects safer than small motorboats for swimmers and wildlife. For these reasons, they are used for fishing , one of

3480-520: The victim, using available watercraft, swim with an aid, such as a rescue buoy . As a last resort, direct swimming to the apparent victim. In addition to these basic lifeguarding techniques, some units are trained in additional water rescue techniques such as scuba diving and swift water training, or in rescue techniques unrelated to water rescue such as abseiling for cliff rescue and bike patrol training, and they will carry appropriate equipment for these. Lifeguards are proficient in first aid and have

3540-436: The warmer months (usually from mid-September to late April) and also perform public training of kids, the nippers , as well as competitions, such as surf carnivals or winter swimming events. Belgium has a coastline with a length of 68 kilometres (42 mi). The coast is urbanised over practically its entire length and is visited by thousands of tourists each year. In 1982 a lifeguard service has been built up to minimize

3600-406: The water, which is most applicable in open water (such as the sea or even a large water park) where lifeguards can use boats or other personal watercraft to be in the water, which extends their range and may allow quicker response to emergencies. The 10/20 Protection Standard is a technique developed by safety consultants Jeff Ellis and Associates, and taught to lifeguards on many courses including

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