Water Emergency Drills

Written by Matt Young

Table of Contents

Water Emergency Drill 2025 Lifeguard Practice Scenario Drowning: Unresponsive SHALLOW WATER RESCUE/UNRESPONSIVE Adult Shallow Water Rescue- Submerged Victim and Extrication MULTI-RESCUER CPR/AED INITIATED- ADULT Evaluation Criteria

DURING SAFETY WEEK- Show Multi rescuer CPR scenario prior to running drill

Water Emergency Drill 2025

Lifeguard Practice Scenario

Drowning: Unresponsive SHALLOW WATER RESCUE/UNRESPONSIVE Adult 

Goal: To practice with our shift how to perform and react in an emergency situation. 
Scenario:
20 year-old swimmer at bottom of the pool, unknown length of time
Not Breathing. No Pulse.

Setup:

  • Speak with deck staff and identify certified Lifeguards
  • Brief all on the scenario and purpose of practicing scenarios
  • Have a manikin available to substitute into the drill once extrication is complete
  • Announce to Parents/Customers that a practice drill will be performed

Important Points of the Drill: 

  • Recognition
  • Immediate clearing of the pool/ 3 Whistle Blasts/ Shout out for help. 
  • Rescue initiated quickly
  • Deck staff activate EAP
  • All dry staff are aware of emergency situation
  • Equipment brought poolside (Backboard, tube, AED, Emergency Response Bag)
  • Pool cleared safely and an employee assigned to continue to monitor pool

RESCUER ASSIGNMENTS:

Assigning roles requires flexibility depending on certified staff members present. 
Adjust as needed. 

Assign Rescuer #1: will rescue victim, assess, provide CPR with 2 initial breaths
Assign Rescuer #2: will lead board extrication, help with CPR/ BVM/AED
Assign Rescuer #3: assemble BVM, hold mask only if certified 
Assign Rescuer #4: brings AED, operate if certified

Rescuer #3 and Rescuer #4 
Can be non-certified staff members, depending on shift/staffing.
If there are only 2 certified staff members, Rescuer #2 should get the AED immediately following the extrication and then the 2 certified staff members continue with 2 person CPR, rotating jobs as needed. 
Information for all Participating Staff members

  1. Review evacuation of pool deck
    1. Each instructor will evacuate their own class to the safest exit door
    2. Little Snapper teacher(s) - assist instructors with evacuation after your own class has been guided to the exit
    3. Ensure that the rescuer’s students are evacuated by another instructor 
       
  2. Staff- Who is certified in lifeguarding or CPR? 
    1. Front desk staff/dry staff/ instructors certified through another job can participate as a rescuer if their certifications are recorded on ADP and current. 
    2. If we do not have a staff member's certification on record, they can only participate as a non-certified staff member. Encourage staff to send any certifications to HR and upload to ADP. 
       
  3. Extra and Non-certified staff can be educated on:
    1. Calling 911 from a cell phone- review where 911 transcript is kept. 
    2. Communicating EAP activation to Site Supervisor
    3. Getting the backboard and helping with extrication
    4. Getting the Emergency Response Bag
    5. Getting the AED 
    6. Crowd control
    7. Meeting EMS at the entrance door
    8. Monitor the pool and pool deck while emergency care is being provided
    9. Accessing Emergency Contacts for Staff

Shallow Water Rescue- Submerged Victim and Extrication  

LEAD person

Assemble the participants on the pool deck and explain they will be practicing a team rescue for a submerged, passive victim in shallow water, extricating the victim from the water on a backboard, performing a primary assessment and providing care for a victim who is not breathing and does not have a pulse.     

  1. Rescuer 1: simulate activating the EAP (3 WHISTLE BLASTS) and enter the water. 
  2. The victim will get into position and submerge as Rescuer 1 gets near. They will perform a submerged, passive victim rescue.
    1. Rescuer 1 Submerge and reach down to grab the victim under the armpits.
    2. Simultaneously, pick up the victim, move forward and roll the victim face-up upon surfacing.
  3. Rescuer 1 swims with the victim toward the side of the pool. 
  4. Rescuer 2:  Grabs the backboard and emergency response bag. Brings the backboard to the edge of the water and removes the head immobilizer.
  5. Rescuer 2: places the board vertically in the water. 
  6. Rescuer 1: approaches the backboard and moves to the side of the victim, while Rescuer 2 grasps the victim’s wrist with one hand while holding the backboard with their other hand. Other available staff members can help with this.
  7. Rescuer 2: firmly holds the backboard with one hand and the victim’s forearm with the other hand, as Rescuer 1 stabilizes the backboard in the pool, from the side.
  8. Once the victim is centered on the backboard, Rescuer 2 signals that they are ready to remove the victim. While maintaining his or her hold on the victim’s arm, Rescuer 2 pulls the backboard onto the deck. Rescuer 1 pushes the backboard as Rescuer 2 pulls.

■■ If more than one on-deck responder is available, they can help stabilize the backboard and pull from water

MULTI-RESCUER CPR/AED INITIATED- ADULT

Multi-rescuer CPR- Perform cycles of 30 compressions and 2 ventilations.
USE BVM if there are 4+ Rescuers; Use regular mask if less than 4 rescuers

  1. Substitute mannequin in for the victim 
  2. Rescuer 1 Assess the victim’s condition and provide appropriate care. 
    1. Continue as if NOT breathing and NO pulse
    2. Give 2 INITIAL Ventilations/ Breaths (use regular mask until BVM ready)
  3. Rescuer 2 Place two hands on the center of the chest.
  4. Rescuer 2 gives 30 chest compressions
    1. Push hard, push fast.
    2. Compress the chest at a depth of: About 2 inches
    3. Compress the chest at a rate of at least 100 per minute but no more than 120 per minute.
  5. Rescuer 3 assembles BVM; hold mask on victim’s face with a good seal
  6. Rescuer 1 gives 2 ventilations with BVM, while Rescuer 3 seals mask
  7. Rescuer 4: bring AED to the scene and prepare for use. 
    1. Depending on how many rescuers you have will determine who applies and operates AED. The AED takes priority over CPR so stop CPR if needed to apply and activate AED. If you have a third rescuer, they can apply and operate AED while Rescuers 1 and 2 continue performing CPR.
    2. Turn on the AED and follow the voice and/or visual prompts.
    3. Wipe the victim’s bare chest dry with a towel.
    4. Use ADULT AED pads
    5. Follow prompts
    6. Say loudly, “EVERYONE CLEAR” before pushing shock button
    7. After delivering the shock, perform 2 minutes of CPR. 
    8. Continue to follow the prompts of the AED.

Evaluation Criteria

Use the charts below to evaluate the skills performed. You can assign a role of evaluator to a dry staff member, certified staff member or non-certified staff member. The role of the evaluator would be to watch the rescue scenario and note where things could improve as well as give prompts if needed. Prompt if a step is missed. We are a team and the goal is not to test for perfection but rather practice in the most proficient way. 

Two-Rescuer CPR- ratio is 15 compressions, 2 breaths per minute

Use a regular mask unless there are 4 rescuers present- since the BVM is better operated with two people

 

 

Related Articles