BRONZE MEDALLION

Summer 2015

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

You must be at least 13 years

old at the exam or have
previously passed Bronze Star;

You must possess the

knowledge and the skills of a
Junior 10 or Gold swimmer;

You must be present to at

least 75% of the course to be
admitted to the final exam;

The key to success for this

course is: initiative

COURSE MATERIAL

Canadian Lifesaving Society Manuel

Pocket Mask

Bathing Suit

Goggles

Towel

Notepad and Pencil

Whistle (optional)

Canadian First Aid Manuel (optional)

DROWNING

How many people drown each year?

Over 400 Canadians die each year in water-leading incidents; it is the third leading cause of all
accidental deaths in Canada.

Drowning risks are highest in what age group?

Young adults 18 to 34 and young children under 5.

What factors contribute to avoid drowning?

Learning to swim, wearing a lifejacket or PFD, behaving responsibly if alcohol, drugs or medication is
consumed, behaving responsibly when boating, supervising toddlers and young children at all times,
swimming with a buddy nearby, not diving into shallow or unknown water, etc.

What is a lifeguards role?

Rescuing others from danger around water, but its also about drowning prevention and self-rescue.

Why do YOU want to become a lifeguard?

AQUATIC PROGRAMS

RESCUES
Whether youre rescuing yourself or
another person, your rescue will
always have the same three elements:

Recognize

Assess

Act

Chapter 3 - Canadian Lifesaving Manuel

RECOGNIZE

Recognize that someone is in trouble, and that you must

perform a rescue.

Recognize that aspects of the situation, such as your

condition, the victims condition, or water and weather
conditions may change.

Recognize hazards, the cause of the incident, and the

number of victims and their conditions.

ASSESS

What self-rescue skills does the victim have?

What rescue skills and physical skills do you have?

What is the victims physical and emotional condition?

Where is the closest point of safety?

What are the water and weather conditions? How will they affect
your options?

What human and equipment assistance is available?

What is the lowest risk rescue possible in the situation?

ACT (THE RESCUERS CHECKLIST)

Victim recognition;

Direct bystanders and contact EMS if you need it;

The Ladder Approach;

Hazards;

Assists;

Entries;

Approaches;

Reverse, Ready, and Reassess;

Talk, Tow, or Carry;

Removals;

Follow-up.

VICTIM RECOGNITION
Weak and Tired

Fear on the face, slow

movements
Can become drowning
victims

Distressed

If they are injured or ill, they

might be holding the affected
area of the body
They are breathing, and so
they may call or wave for help

Unconscious

Their bodies are horizontal

and their faces are in the water

Causes: non-swimmers,
illnesses, injuries, intoxication,
hyperventilation, fatigue,
unconsciousness

VICTIM RECOGNITION
Non-swimmer

Are probably vertical in the water; they do

not use their legs for propulsion

Show fear on their face

May seem to be playing in the water. This is

because of their arm movements

Cannot call for help. They need all the air

they breathe to stay alive.

Cannot control their reaction to struggle.

May not be moving or visible at all

Which victim would be the most dangerous for a lifeguards security?

THE LADDER APPROACH

1. Talk Rescue : from a dry, safe position, talk to the victim, and encourage him or her to safety.
2. Throw Rescue : from a dry, safe location, throw a buoyant assist to the victim, and talk him or her to
safety.
3. Reach Rescue : from a dry, safe location, reach with an assist to the victim, and pull him or her to
safety. The assist may be buoyant or non-buoyant; it may also be a rope.
4. Wade Rescue : wade into shallow water, and extend an assist to the victim OR enter deep water
while holding the edge of a solid object (ladder, dock, tree root, etc.) and extend an assist to the victim.
5. Row Rescue : row to the victim in a watercraft, and extend an assist while staying in the craft.
6. Swim Rescue: swim to the victim, provide a buoyant assist, and talk him or her to safety without
making direct contact.
7. Tow Rescue : swim to the victim, provide a buoyant assist, and tow him or her to safety without
making direct contact.
8. Carry Rescue : swim to the victim, and carry him or her to safety.

HAZARDS

Before doing anything else, deal with items in the

environment that could be dangerous for you or the victim.
Either remove these hazards from the environment or move
the victim away from the hazards.

Water, poisonous gas (engine exhaust, chlorine gas), poisons,

live electrical wires, debris, broken glass, extreme cold or heat,
animals, etc.

No fire, no wire, no gas, no glass

In a rescue, your security is the number one priority!

ASSISTS

An assist is any object that can be used to help someone

in difficulty in the water.

Lifejackets and PFDs, flutterboards, plastic bottles, paddles,

boards, branches, reaching poles, ring buoys, torpedo
buoys, rescue tubes, throw bags, etc.

Choose an assist based on its availability, its buoyancy, its

manageability, its strength, your fitness and strength and
your immediate surroundings.

ENTRIES
Slip-in Entry

If you want to minimize

movement or if youre unsure
of the water conditions.
Maintain visual and verbal
contact with the victim.

Dives (head-up, shallow and

deep)

If youre looking to reach a victim

that is far away in the least amount
of time possible.

When you KNOW the water is

free of underwater hazards and is
deep enough.

Stride Jump

If youre looking to reach a

victim quickly without losing
visual contact.

Maintain visual and verbal

contact with the victim.

ENTRIES
Compact Jump

If youre entering the water from a

great height.
This is NOT an entry for unknown
or shallow water.
Cross the legs, arms and place one
hand over the mouth and nose.

Choosing an Entry:

The victims condition and location

Your abilities

Your condition and location

Water conditions

The condition of the bottom

The speed with which you need to get to the victim

The need to keep the victim in sight

The assists available for use

Your familiarity with the area