Lifeguard

:For the British Army regiment see the Life Guards

Related Topics:
British Army - Regiment - Life Guards

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A lifeguard in the most general sense of the word is an emergency service worker, who is a qualified strong swimmer, trained and certified in water rescue, first aid, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); who is responsible for overseeing the safety of users of a recreational water feature, such as a swimming pool, a water park, or a private or public beach. Lifeguards are classified by the United States Department of Labor as medical professionals. Lifeguards often are required to obtain additional training in AED and supplying Oxygen.

Related Topics:
Emergency service - Swimmer - Rescue - First aid - Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) - Safety - Swimming pool - Water park - Beach - United States Department of Labor - Medical professional - AED - Oxygen

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Due to nature of their mission and responsibility, and that their command presence needs to be visible, lifeguards are often dressed in a high visibility uniform, usually including red or blue boardshorts (or, for female lifeguards, a red or blue one-piece bathing suit), and carry distinctive equipment, such as a brightly colored rescuer's buoy, which depending upon the preference of the agency's practices may be made of a rigid or soft plastic material.

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In the cases of public pools, water parks, and beach clubs, the employer of a lifeguard force is the private sector entity operating that facility, but in the case of the public beach it would usually be a public sector agency called a lifeguard service, beach patrol, ocean safety department, or something similar.

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Training for lifeguards at pools, waterparks, lakes and other inland bodies of water is different than the training of lifeguards for oceans.

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