Lifeguard training, swimming, CPR and first aid links

The page is now quite long, so if you are looking for something in particular, I suggest you try using the EDIT-Find on This Page function on your computer to search for a key word like life, safe, swim, AED, CPR, scan, spa or the name of a person.

Index to Red Cross classes resources has quizzes, projects and how-to-do-it info.

Any instructor should make it a habit to check once in awhile at the Red Cross National website Instructors' Corner at: http://www.instructorscorner.org/RedCross/Index.aspx

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If you have heard of a "cough cpr" e-mail that tells people they can save their own lives when they feel a heart attack coming on by coughing hard:

Please go to urbanlegends.about.com If you can get past all the pop-up advertisements, in the upper left hand corner type "cpr" in the search box, then click on cough cpr and read it. It seems that the original author retracted it.

For a second opinion go to americanheart.org and put "cough cpr" in their search box. You'll get their word to Heart Assn. instructors.

The two are worth comparing.

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The American Swimming Coaches Association has an article: Including swimmers with a disability: a guide for coaches that applies to swim instructors as well at

http://www.swimmingcoach.org/articles/press_room/ada10122001.asp

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A short article on filling out accident report forms can be found at:

http://www.aquaticsintl.com/2001/nov_dec/0111_rm.html

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Two articles at the New England Journal of Medicine website:

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/342/21/1546

is the New England Journal of Medicine article on which is best: cpr alone or cpr with mouth to mouth

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/343/17/1206?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits= 10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=cpr&searchid=1032535765242_11943 &stored_search=&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec= PUBDATE_SORTDATE+desc+Score+desc&journalcode=nejm

is the results of casino AED use

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From Aquatics International: "pool" rage:

http://www.aquaticsintl.com/2002/may/0205_rm.html

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From Aquatics International: "The Vigilant Lifeguard," written by one of the authors of the "Five Minute Scanning Strategy" that we discuss near the end of the lifeguard class:

http://www.aquaticsintl.com/2002/may/0205_invertedu.html

http://www.aquaticsintl.com/2002/june/0206_scan.html is an article on scanning by the same author

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Body piercings and lifeguards: http://www.aquaticsintl.com/2002/july_aug/0207_rm.html

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Hazards associated with pool covers:

http://www.aquaticsintl.com/2002/october/0210_rm.html

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Update on pool accessibility guidelines

http://www.aquaticsintl.com/2001/nov_dec/0111_access2.html

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Waterslides safety

http://www.aquaticsintl.com/2001/october/0110_slidechange.html

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Links to info about indoor pool air quality

http://www.aquaticsintl.com/2001/september/0109_airquality.html

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A drowning in a pool so cloudy you couldn't see the drain, much less the bottom

http://www.aquaticsintl.com/2002/july_aug/0207_losangeles.html

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The Seattle Red Cross website quoted from the following article on women's heart attack symptoms. Go to:

http://www.heart-help.net/women.html

and scroll down to heart attack women's symptoms

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From THE PHYSICIAN AND SPORTSMEDICINE:

AED Trips a Canine Alarm

Last fall, the automated external defibrillator (AED) used by the Atlanta Braves created quite a stir when the team traveled to play the New York Mets. John D. Cantwell, MD, an Atlanta cardiologist and a team physician for the Braves, recounts how the team and all its equipment had to pass a security clearance because of controversy surrounding Braves pitcher John Rocker. (Rocker's inflammatory comments had been widely quoted.) "Everything cleared, then our equipment started beeping, and the bomb-sniffing dogs went ballistic," Cantwell says. "It was the AED signaling that its battery was low." The moral: When traveling, make sure AEDs are fully powered, especially around bomb-sniffing dogs

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USA Swimming has a detailed nutrition article at:

http://www.usaswimming.org/USASWeb/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabId=433&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en

Feed Their Brains! A simple guide to teaching nutrition to swimmers.

1. Fueling Your Stroke – The Concept of Buying and Burning Gas

2. Eating Colorful Foods

3. How Much is Enough?

4. Timing is Everything!

5. Choosing the Best Cereals

6. What IS a Serving?

7. FLUIDS - Water vs Sports Drink

8. Analyzing Your Diet

If you go to the NOLO Press website

http://www.nolo.com/

and go to - Legal Research Center State Laws

and search under California for the word lifeguard it gives you two pages:

the CALIFORNIA HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE SECTION 116025-116068

and the CALIFORNIA HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE SECTION 1797.160-1797.197 which includes AED info.

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Don't Swim With Shocks - CPSC, American Red Cross Warn of Electrocutions in Swimming Pools, Hot Tubs and Spas

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml03/03125.html

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Looking for info about the anatomy of the spine and spinal injuries?

Go to http://www.spinalinjury.net/

and click on Spinal Cord 101 in the left hand column

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Spinal Cord Injury Information

http://www.sci-info-pages.com

Is a free resource for those with a spinal cord injury, or other disabling injury or disease of the spine. It provides health information and resources related to spinal cord injuries and has related links with site descriptions.

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An Example Template for a Sports Medicine Emergency Plan from the NCAA is at:

http://www.ncaa.org/

click on site index and Emergency plan (medical)

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The Dangers of Underwater Swimming are Real

Mexican Player, Omar Ortega, Drowns at Practice By Bruce Wigo

http://www.swimmingcoach.org/articles/9903/9903-1.htm

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Cold water boot camp

hypothermia information provided by Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission Boating Programs, is at:

http://www.boatwashington.org/ click on safety

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American Canoe Assn has guidelines for events, which could help you formulate an emergency action plan, at: http://www.acanet.org/pdf/safetyguideline.pdf

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The daily UV index map of the United States is at: http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindexcontour.html

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The American Canoe Assn. has a beginner's guide at: http://www.acanet.org/pdf/beginnersguide-spread.pdf

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Two articles on a June 2003 study:

"Reverse CPR" Performed on Back Could Better Restore Blood Flow

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/press/2003/June/030623.htm

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An article by Tom Griffiths

http://www.aquaticsafetygroup.com/documents/Every30Minutes.pdf

"While aquatics managers have many and varied responsibilities, none are more important than making sure lifeguards are on duty, properly dressed, positioned correctly and vigilantly scanning the water."

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Tattoo policies

http://www.aquaticsafetygroup.com/documents/stinkoverink.pdf

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When you call 911 from a land line telephone, such as in your house, you get dispatch for the city the phone (your house) is located in. When you call 911 from a cell phone you get the Highway Patrol at a central location. Sometimes, especially if you are not calling about something on the freeway/highway, it would be faster to get dispatch for the specific city the problem is happening in. This requires knowing the direct dial seven digit phone number for each dispatch.

Direct dial emergency phone numbers for most cities in Santa Clara County, California, can be found at the Santa Clara County ARES/RACES (Amateur Radio Emergency Services/Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services) website.

http://www.scc-ares-races.org/dd-emer-nos.html

When you are planning a camping trip, try to get the direct dial number for the park/Sheriff or agency in charge before you go.

It wasn't just an urban rumor. An article from the Consumer Product Safety Commission: hair entanglement, entrapment and disembowelment associated with spas:

http://www.cpsc.gov/LIBRARY/FOIA/FOIA97/OS/BP9713.PDF

In the waterfront lifeguard class we talk about gloving up to clean up the sand at a beach each morning. We talk about the occasional need to look for used needles when you rake the sand. Yet another hazard is from the National Park Service Morning report of Monday, December 29, 2003:

Dry Tortugas National Park (FL)

Employee Injury from Bang Stick Discharge

While on patrol along the beach at Garden Key on the afternoon of December 18th, ranger Tim Morrison discovered a stainless steel object approximately four inches long lying in the sand. Initial examination indicated that the object was possibly the nozzle to an air compressor hose. Morrison placed the object in his pants pocket and continued working the rest of his shift. Later that evening, he removed the object from his pocket to re-examine it. After looking it over, he set it down on a table, at which point it detonated. The discharge of what was later determined to be a .357 caliber round severely injured his right index finger and caused powder burns to his face. The Coast Guard was notified and airlifted Morrison to Key West Hospital at about 3:30 a.m. After several hours of surgery, doctors where able to clean and close the wound. A day later, Morrison was released by the hospital. Investigation revealed that the object was the end of a device used by scuba divers called a "bang stick." In this case, it was made of stainless steel. The bang stick broke down into two parts by unscrewing it. Inside one part was a firing pin and spring; inside the other was the an empty casing to a .357 magnum round. The bullet embedded in the ceiling of Morrison’s quarters at Fort Jefferson. It only takes approximately two pounds of pressure to set one off and is usually used in conjunction with a long rod or stick. The device, when not attached to a stick, looks very benign. Morrison hopes this information prevents such an unfortunate incident from happening to anyone else. [Submitted by Willie Lopez, Site Supervisor]

A good brief lesson on

How to survive the cold in water

http://www.hypothermia.org/inwater.htm

and on land

http://www.hypothermia.org/onland.htm

with links to STATE OF ALASKA COLD INJURIES AND COLD WATER NEAR DROWNING GUIDELINES and JAMA material

Take the Water Safety test at:

http://www.galvestonbeachpatrol.com/

click on the left of the page on for teachers, then on lesson plans, then on water safety test

Yes, the answers are at the end, but you will learn more from doing the test first. I missed one question that I should not have.

A study quoted in the January 2004 New England Journal of Medicine found that a hormone called vasopressin works much better than epinephrine for victims of asystole when given after attempts at defibrillation. Using vasopressin instead improved the chances of reaching a hospital alive by 40%, and it has less risks. An Associated Press article said that of the more than 60,000 people who die of cardiac arrest in North America and Europe each year, 70% will have ventricular fibrillation and about 30% will have asystole.

Read more at:

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/350/2/105

The Red Cross text and instructor's manual, Bloodborne Pathogens Training: Preventing Disease Transmission, mentioned some online sources.

An adult recommended vaccinations schedule is at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/adult-schedule.htm

The latest on bloodborne pathogens is at: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/bloodbornepathogens/index.html

"Researchers at the University of Iowa and University of Michigan recently analyzed the value of installing defibrillators in various public locations. They determined that an AED is a good investment if its location was expected to be the site of at least one cardiac arrest every 7 years... Purchasing AEDs for sports-related sites--sports venues, golf courses, and health clubs--appears to be a good investment, the study found. Sites such as hotels, large retail stores, and primary care centers were found to have lower risks."

Natural Resources Defense Council

Water Quality at U.S. Beaches How to find out whether state and local authorities test for beach pollution, and what they do if they find it.

http://www.nrdc.org/water/oceans/gttw.asp

The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency has a beachgoer's guide at:

http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/beaches/goer2.html

International Life Saving Federation Medical Position Statements, usch as

Positioning a Patient on a sloping Beach

In Water Resuscitation

COLD WATER IMMERSION

WHO NEEDS FURTHER MEDICAL HELP AFTER RESCUE FROM THE WATER

USE OF ABDOMINAL THRUSTS IN NEAR DROWNING

http://www.ilsf.org/index.php?q=medical/statements

Statements on critical CPR Skills for Lifesavers from the ILSF, says, in part:

"c. Lifesavers should be instructed that "compression-only" CPR is not appropriate in drowning cases because, as explained in the Guidelines 2000, "The first and most important treatment of the near-drowning victim is provision of immediate mouth-to-mouth ventilation. Prompt initiation of rescue breathing has a positive association with survival." (American Heart Association, 2000c) Moreover, "The probability that a rescuer (lay or professional) will become infected with HBV or HIV as a result of performing CPR is minimal." (American Heart Association, 2000d)"

The skin cancer foundation has what sunscreen can and cannot do at:

http://www.skincancer.org/prevention/sunscreen.pdf

a self exam at:

http://www.skincancer.org/self_exam/spot_skin_cancer.php

and pictures of what to look for at:

http://www.skincancer.org/self_exam/look_for.php

A summer of 2003 study of drowning in France found, (of 781 rescues followed by hospitalization or fatality),

44% in the ocean (56% of victims older than 45 years of age)

25% in swimming pools (61% in private pools)

15% in lakes (25% between the ages of 25 and 44)

12% in rivers (28% between the age of 25 and 44).

Of the 781 drownings, 41% were fatal.

California State Parks has Lifeguard/Ranger oral interview tips at their website

http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=21271

inlcuding these sample interview questions:

Sample Questions for 'Getting to Know the Candidate'

Tell us about yourself and why you want this job.

What are you doing in your current position?

Tell us why you are qualified for this position?

What are your career goals?

How have you prepared yourself for this position?

STOP THAT CRAMP! 4 causes -- and solutions -- for muscle cramps during exercise

http://www.usms.org/news/newsitem.php?n=29

SWIMMING WITH THE DOLPHINS: A DIFFERENT ANIMAL THAN THE POOL United States Masters Swimming Offers 5 Tips to Shave Seconds Off Open-Water Swim Times

http://www.usms.org/news/newsitem.php?n=25

POOL DRILLS IMPROVE OPEN-WATER SKILL, EFFICIENCY, SPEED United States Masters Swimming Offers Six Tips to Maximize Summer Pool Workouts

http://www.usms.org/news/newsitem.php?n=12

According to EMS <agazine in 2004, AEDs aren't just for adults. Over 300 children die yearly from preventable sudden cardiac arrest while playing sports.

The claims game

"When managing your claims paperwork, the 80/20 rule applies: 80 percent of all the incident data you gather will never be used; only 20 percent of the incidents that occur will turn into claims. The trouble is no one knows which 20 percent will be needed, so you must investigate and retain data on all incidents."

http://www.recmanagement.com/features.php?fid=200410FE04

Red Cross emergency quiz http://www.redcross.org/email/safetynet/v1n6/quiz.asp

Access Cardiosystems, Inc. issued a Worldwide Recall of its AEDs in November 2004 due to the "ON/OFF" button and the shock delivery circuit failing to function as well as the AED possibly turning on suddenly.

an article on lifeguard blind spots

http://www.aquaticsintl.com/2004/nov/0411_rm.html

Automatic External Defibrillators [AEDS]: Their Deployment & Use Within the Lifeguard, Aquatics Safety & Recreation Sector [Mar 26 2005]--

Gerald Dworkin says, in part:

"Although the performance of CPR on a cardiac arrest patient prolongs the time that defibrillation can be effective, CPR should not be considered as a "life saving" procedure, but rather as a "life sustaining" procedure in that it typically will not restore a heartbeat to a cardiac arrest victim."

"The average response time from dispatch to scene arrival across the U.S. is approximately 10 minutes. Once the EMS personnel arrive on the scene, it may even take several additional minutes before they are able to make contact with the patient.

Roger White, a Mayo Clinic researcher and medical director for the early defibrillation program in Rochester, Minnesota measured to the second how much time passes between a 9-1-1 call and the instant a shock is delivered to a cardiac arrest patient. His data showed that victims shocked within six minutes almost always lived, while those shocked after six minutes almost always die.

Currently 95 percent of sudden cardiac arrest victims die before reaching the hospital due to the length of time it takes for emergency personnel to arrive on the scene. Dr. Joseph Ornato of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond states, "the bottom line is we believe defibrillators in public facilities will double survival, if there are trained teams to use them." "

read it all at: http://www.bigmedicine.ca/gdworkin.htm

Lifeguard training graduate and locally employed EMT Eric Marxmiller replied to the article:

"It fails to point out the % of people who where asystole and are un-shockable which would probably be around the upper 80% to 90% of the patients treated by this ems.

It also points out that 95% of sudden cardiac arrest pt die before reaching the hospital DUE TO arrival time of ems, that is wrong! People die regardless of how much or little time ems takes to arrive. They do not report how many died in the field, in transport, or at the hospital. There is manipulation of data here. What we can say without all the data is that AEDS do "HELP" and can sometimes "prolong life" but not necessarily "quality" of life."

A manual detailing a model program for maintaining fire and EMS emergency responder well-being. This publication discusses fire service stress and how to apply sound stress management principles to minimize the costly consequences of excess stress.

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa-100.pdf

aed legislation by state

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3024006

Good Samaritan Laws by State

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3024007

Playbook: the ABCs of interviewing: how to find the right employee by conducting the perfect interview

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1145/is_11_40/ai_n15979827

Recruiting others to the park and recreation profession: professionals should examine what attracts them to the job, and apply it to recruiting new faces to the field

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1145/is_6_40/ai_n14707623

http://www.sptimes.com/2002/08/27/TampaBay/Eckerd_College_settle.shtml

"Eckerd College settles suit in drowning at school pool The suit alleged a careless lifeguard missed the drowning boy. Insurance will cover the $1.55-million payment."

During the lifeguard management section of our class we discuss ways to remodel a facility to make it more user friendly for people with disabilities. Lots of resources are at:

http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm

A manual detailing a model program for maintaining fire and EMS emergency responder well-being. This publication discusses fire service stress and how to apply sound stress management principles to minimize the costly consequences of excess stress.

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa-100.pdf

The Canadian study referred to in the Red Cross Aqua 'Zine magazine:

Drowning Research: Ice & Cold Water Immersion http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=017352&tid=024

NOT RESCUE READY

How to blow giant bubble rings in a swimming pool

Lifesaving World Championships, July 18 to August 2, 2008 in Berlin.

Pool and ocean events.

(You can download the competition manual, 235 pages.)

http://www.rescue2008.com/

How to tell if the lifeguards are doing their job properly

There is a tutorial on doing eggbeater at:

http://www.expertvillage.com/video/44405_synchronized-swimming-egg-beaters.htm

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Stretching basics from a reliable source:

http://www.berkeleywellness.com/html/fw/fwFit02Stretching.html

weight training basics from a reliable source:

http://www.berkeleywellness.com/html/fw/fwFit03StrengthTraining.html

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http://www.ada.gov/lawenfcomm.htm has what percentage of speech reading (reading lips) by deaf people is understood and practical suggestions for effective communication

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http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/Pool.pdf

has:

What percentage of child victims of drownings at home pools were last seen in the house?

What percent were trespassing on property where they didn't live or belong?

What percent of the swimming pool accident victims were missing for five minutes or less before they were found in the pool drowned or submerged?

How tall should a fence/ pool barrier be? (number of inches)

What is the maximum mesh size for a chain link fence?

How quickly after a door from a house to the pool is opened should the alarm sound? (number of seconds)

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http://www.access-board.gov/recreation/guides/pdfs/pools.pdf

has details about accessible means of entry for dpersons with disabilities

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FAQ: One of the pools I swim at allows little kids with swim diapers. Do swim diapers or swim pants prevent fecal matter from entering the water?

According to the the Centers for Disease Control website the answer is "even though they may hold in some feces, they are not leak proof and can still contaminate the pool water." For more go to

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming/q_and_a.htm

and click on swim diapers and swim pants (and you can also find: E coli; diarrhea and pools; head lice, pinworm and swimming)

click on Aquatics staff you will find 12 steps for prevention of recreational water illnesses

In a life-threatening emergency, doing something right is better than doing nothing at all. When a rescuer is unable, untrained or unwilling to perform full CPR, continuous Compression Only CPR can be effective in caring for a person with no signs of life.

The Red Cross has produced a video for people who have not been trained in CPR or who are not sure what to do.

Obviously, a professional rescuer would still use their higher level of training.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m71yc5m8V38

Citizen CPR

Cultural issues in first aid

Can a person who is prescribed an epi-pen risk going into the wilderness? Anaphylaxis quick facts

deaf lifeguards

lifeguard training: discussing professionalism

the 2012 Red Cross lifeguard manual can be downloaded for free at: http://www.instructorscorner.org/media/resources/l/lg_part_manual_landing.html

swimming pool codes

pool toys for water safety instructors

See also these study guides for lifeguards, etc.:

Bloodborne Pathogens quick facts

CPR quick facts

AED quick facts

What the AED says as you use it

CPR Pro skills review questions

Why did they change CPR?

Common mistakes in Professional Rescuer CPR skills

Common mistakes in professional rescuer CPR skills - Lifeguard Training

Oxygen administration quick facts

injuries quick facts

Bloodborne Pathogens quick facts

First Aid for Public Safety Personnel study guide

Simple secondary survey study sheet

wilderness first aid outline

How to pass a Red Cross written test

Water Safety Instructor exam study guide

Deep water backboarding and shallow water backboarding are step by step how-to-do-its

an outline: using a backboard in deep water: head and chin support

Emergency Action Plan for a coach or swim instructor

CPO What a certified pool operator (CPO) knows that lifeguards and swimmers should know.

fast, basic neurological exam

HIPAA: the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996/2003.

beach drag

(The lifeguard training, swimming, CPR and first aid links blog starts above this list of study guides.)