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