USLA Lifeguard Test #1
lifeguards should use sunglasses that
1) are polarized 2) contained good quality lenses 3) wrap around
Which would be characteristics of distressed swimmers?
1) hand waving 2) hair in the face 3) heads together
A swimmer who fights a current will get out of that current if:
1) the current relaxes 2) rescued
the use of flotation devices by weak swimmers is dangerous because
1) they are used to gain access to deep water 2) if the swimmer loses contact with the device he/she may submerge quickly 3) they may unexpectedly deflate
Accurate assessment and the recognition of drowning victims is second nature for the professional lifeguard because of
1) training 2) concentration 3) experience
elements of an after-hours and/pr post season response team include
1) use of various community resources 2) roles of members pre-designated 3) use of a callback system for off duty team members
the distance a traveling rip current moves depends on
1) wind speed 2) a sandy bottom 3) the size of the surf and/or the number of waves in a set
underwater drop offs cause many rescues because
1)unsuspecting wanders are often surprised 2) strong undertows exists near drop offs 3) deep water exist very close to relatively shallow water
sunscreen should include protection from UVA and UVB rays with at least _____ SPF
15
To prevent fatigue and provide optimum vigilance lifeguards should take a break of at least______ if surveillance duties last more than one hour.
15 minutes
the lifesaving service and revenue cutter service combined to create the US Coast Guard in
1915
The USLA launched the Lifeguard Agency Certification Program in
1993
data indicates that ____ percent of individuals who develop post-traumatic disorders will continue to experience problems throughout their life
30
Safe swimming areas should be scanned for problems every
30 seconds
how many people in America are involved with open water swimming yearly?
80 or more million
what percentage of UV rays could penetrate clouds on a cloudy day?
80%
the earliest organized lifesaving association was established in
China in 1708
The Beach Act required by which agency is to oversee the program that deals with the national water quality testing standard and notification?
EPA
the first organized efforts at lifesaving began in Massachusetts in 1786 with the
Massachusetts Humane Society
congress appropriated funds in 1878 to create the ______ after 98 persons were lost off North Carolina
US Lifesaving Service
shark bite prevention and response guidelines were developed in 2002 by?
USLA
the national organization representing open water lifeguards in America which was renamed in 1979 is the
USLA
core aspects found in the USLA systems include
a manual, curriculum, and minimum national standards
lifeguards can lose ____ of fluid in a half hour period during strenuous activity in hot weather
a quart
flotsam is most likely to be a problem
after a storm or storm surf
a large number of aquatic rescues depend on all of the following characteristics of the lifeguard except
age
how far from the area should beach patron be kept if an explosive device is found
at least 500 feet
lifeguard managers coordinate _____ when lifeguards are moved away from the water
backup
open water lifeguards must
be 16 years old swim 500 meters in 10 minutes or less
Lifeguards face various emergencies without obvious clues therefore he/she must:
be adapt at anticipating problems
name the leading tourist destination in the US
beaches
which would be the most sensible way to designate a swimming area at a flat water beach?
buoyed boundary
burning hot coals on the beach is dangerous because
buried coals retain heat for many hours
The hard plastic molded buoy is known as the
burnside buoy
spilling waves are formed
by swells as they move over a sea floor that ascends gradually beneath them with the crest onto the wave face
lifeguarding on the beach is
challenging
An upward crawling motion demonstrated by a drowning person is known as:
climbing the ladder
the Peterson Tube was perfected to
closed cell foam
what is one of the most important actions taken by a lifeguard?
constant vigilance
beach environments can be affected negatively due to
development
a person cause in a river current should swim _______ the current towards shore
diagonal across
lifeguard employers must provide all of the following except
drug screening
sandy beaches are usually created and regenerated by
erosion
to prevent overuse of preventative actions, lifeguard agencies should
establish guidelines
the USLA certification system allows
flexibility and specialization
floating debris in the water is known as
flotsam
a lifeguard working for a certified agency is allowed to lifeguard when
he/she completes the minimum training to perform the job
What type of strategy counts the number of swimmers in an area of responsibility?
head counting
trained lifeguards demonstrate the following characteristics when dealing with emergencies except
impulsiveness
depressions up to several yards in diameter dug into the sand by wave action are called
inshore holes
The Coastal Conservation Initiative in 1972 regulates
land and water uses in the coastal zones
since fresh water is less dense than saltwater, swimmers are
less buoyant in freshwater
fixed and permanent rips pull the hardest when tides are
low
lifeguards handle safety and interactions with beach patrons acting as ____ for their areas
managers
due to thinning budgets lifeguards
may have to preform many public safety responsibilities
chronic irritation and inflammation of dark is known as
middle/swimmers ear
the need for warning flags is based on
objective measurable criteria
why does the USLA not recognize other national programs?
other programs give individual student certification
Examples of clues that could indicate a potential water problem include:
overweight and very young people
the most dangerous hazard of entanglement with aquatic weeds and plants is
panic
general aquatic environments requiring lifeguards include
pools water parks open water
the preferred method of training candidates prior to assignment as lifeguard is
pre-service training
USLA warning flag guidelines are
providing general levels of hazard
what can be done by facility designers to overcome natural hazards
removal of water hazards installation of railings
Captain Henry Sheefield was touring South Africa and developed the first
rescue can
USLA estimates that ______ are the primary source of distress in swimmers in over ___ percent of swimmer rescues
rip currents 80
why should lifeguards discourage beach patrons from digging holes in the sand?
sand is an unstable substance
which type of lifeguards could easily face overuse problems?
seasonal
what negatively affects the public safety role lifeguards preform?
secondary responsibilities
lifeguards mediating a conflict should
separate the parties involved
an effective lifeguard promotes beach and water safety by
separating incompatible activities
effective management of a beach conflict would be
separating incompatible activities
Drowning in the 1700's was largely due to:
shipwrecks
preventive actions _____ be documented in a lifeguard log
should
the most common form of cancer is _____
skin cancer
unexpected striking of an underwater hazard is a significant prime cause of
spinal cord paralysis
submerged objects in shallow water are dangerous to individuals who move quickly through the surf line like
surfers and body boarders
rip currents affect people differently depending upon
swimming skills and knowledge of the currents
the USLA maintains principles which all lifeguards should follow. The principles are known as
the code of ethics
swimming after a shark incident requires the lifeguard to open the water when
the immediate threat is over
the main cause of a rip current is
the surf
A main observation tower is used for overall observation and supervision of the area, that is known as
tower zero
a seiches is a sudden oscillation of water that can be caused by
tsunami
depth perception during searches is eliminated when the water is
turbid
infection from blood borne pathogens can be avoided best by using _______
universal precautions
the following actions affect the topography of the beach flat water except
water temperatures
the horizontal distance between two wave crests (or troughs) is known as a
wave length
the time it take two consecutive wave to crests pass a given point is known as
wave period