Lifeguard responsibilities and pool scanning

• Lifeguards need to follow four key rules: accident prevention, rescue response, public relations, and administration.
• Lifeguards are responsible for the safety and well-being of patrons, their employer, themselves, and fellow lifeguards.
• The Good Samaritan Act protects individuals who voluntarily provide first aid assistance.
• Public pool regulations in Ontario are defined by law 565.

Scanning

• Scanning involves systematically visually observing patrons and their activities.
• Facility design and layout, number and position of lifeguards, lighting conditions, and the number of patrons and lifeguards can impact scanning effectiveness.
• Supervision zone shape and size also affect scanning.
• Head counting, mental filing, profile matching, tracking high-risk patrons, and grouping patrons are five scanning strategies.
• Intensive scanning focuses on one area of the pool, while extensive scanning covers the entire pool.
• Combined scanning involves multiple guards overlapping zones.
• Lifeguards should scan their entire zone within 10-30 seconds.
• Intensive coverage means each lifeguard has a dedicated zone.
• Extensive coverage means lifeguards guard the entire pool.
• Starburst, arching, and zig-zag patterns are used for scanning.

Distressed vs. Drowning

• Distressed victims keep their head above water and can call for help with a weak leg kick.
• Drowning victims submerge completely, gasping for air, potentially bobbing at the surface.

R.I.D. Factor

• Drowning in supervised areas often results from a combination of: failure to Recognize signs of distress, Intrusion of non-lifeguard duties, and Distraction from lifeguard duties.

Recognizing Trouble

• Daredevils, intoxicated individuals, gutter grabbers, those with medical insignias, and rough play are five signs of potential issues.

Emergencies

• Minor emergencies are not life-threatening and typically don't require EMS.
• Major emergencies are life-threatening, requiring a multi-person response and pool clearing.
• The first lifeguard signals, responds, assesses, and supports ABCs (airway, breathing, circulation) and cannot leave the victim.
• The second lifeguard backs up the first, assists with victim support, removal, ABCs, and clears the water if only two guards.
• The third lifeguard evacuates, contacts EMS, gets supplies, and obtains information.
• A shift to cover involves a temporary relocation of a guard in order to cover a larger zone.
• Primary assessment checks the area, awareness, calls for ambulance, and checks airway, breathing, and circulation to find the problem.
• Secondary assessment focuses on awareness, breath, circulation, dermis, eyes, and legality.

Legal Aspects

• Statutes are written laws enacted by the government.
• Contracts are written or oral agreements between parties.
• Torts and Delicts dictate compensation for injuries.
• Negligence occurs when a lifeguard ignores their duty of care.
• Inquests are coroner investigations into deaths to prevent similar events.
• The defendant is the party being sued.
• The plaintiff is seeking compensation in a lawsuit.
• Standard of care is the level of care a lifeguard must give to a victim.
• To prove negligence, 1) a duty of care must be owed, 2) the standard of care must be breached and 3) The breach must cause damage.
• Lawsuits occur in civil court to prove liability, and prosecutions occur in criminal court to decide guilt and sentencing.

Public Relations

• The acronym L.E.A.F.F. (Listen, Empathize, Apologize, Fix, Follow-up) summarizes customer support.
• Examples of public relations scenarios include addressing pool temperature, non-swimmers in deep water, upset parents, dirty pools, loud music, and problematic customers.
• A dead zone is an unsupervised area in intensive coverage, often the line between deep and shallow ends.
• Scanning zone overlaps prevent dead zones.

Pool Maintenance

• Free Active Chlorine (FAC) should be 0.8-1.5ppm.
• pH levels should range from 7.2-7.8.
• Alkalinity should be 80ppm-120ppm.

Pool Filtration Systems

• Sand and gravel filters capture larger particles by forcing water through sand and gravel.
• Pressure diatomaceous earth filters force water through nylon or steel screens coated with diatomaceous earth.
• Vacuum diatomaceous earth filters use an open tank with filter elements coated in diatomaceous earth.
• Cartridge filters surround the cartridge in a tank and are removed for cleaning.