How to Apply for Lifeguard Course Certification to Become A Trainer?

Lifeguards have responsibilities from rescuing swimmers from unsafe conditions to administering CPR and providing first aid. They receive ample amounts of training before working as trainers. This work is physically demanding, and depending on the situation, you will have to work accordingly. Before becoming a lifeguard trainer, it is necessary to complete a lifeguard course with lifeguard course certification. We will show how to get your lifeguard certification and some tips.

What is lifeguard certification?

Lifeguard certification is a requirement that an individual needs to prove that ability to complete lifeguarding duties at the public pool or other bodies of water. A lifeguard certification repairs an individual to prevent accidents, analyze the surroundings, recognize potential dangers, and make appropriate decisions. This certification also prepares the individuals to administer medical dead like CBR water treatment, spinal injury management, etc. An individual who receives their certification can list this accomplishment on their resume and use it to apply for the position as a lifeguard.

How to get lifeguard certification?

Below are the six steps on how you can get the certificate

Choose what kind of lifeguard certification you want

Before starting the process of owning a lifeguard certification, it is important to determine what kind of instruction you want to receive. Some lifeguard courses cover traditional knowledge while others give practical knowledge. For instance, you can sign up for a lifeguarding course focusing on shallow waters. This course helps participants know what they need to know if they plan to work in the water park, which has a maximum depth of 3 to 8 feet.

Find an organization that offers local classes

Many organizations offer lifeguarding courses. You should find one that offers classes in your area as online training is insufficient to learn the necessities. Some examples of organizations offering in-person lifeguard courses include West Coast Water Safety.

Qualify for the pre-course skills test

Most lifeguarding courses require candidates to take the pre-course skills test to show their abilities, strength, and endurance.

Signed up and complete your course

Once you are comfortable with the fitness assessment, you can sign up and complete your course. During this course, the instructors will teach you how to prevent, recognize and respond to water emergencies. You’ll learn how to respond to cardiac and breathing injuries, administer first aid treatment and perform CPR treatment. The instructor also teaches about laws and safety practices that you must follow while working. It takes approximately 25 hours to complete the course.

Take the qualifying exam

After completing the lifeguarding course, you can take the qualifying exams, which differ based on the organization. The first part is a written test; you must have 80% to clear the exam. Later you are presented with three scenarios you will have to complete under the instructor’s supervision. After meeting all the requirements, you can get the lifeguard certification.

Apply for renewal

Lifeguarding certification requires renewal every two years. You can apply for the renewal by continuing education classes and passing the exams again. The renewal process helps ensure that you are up-to-date and have the relevant lifeguarding skills and techniques.

If you’re looking for a lifeguarding course, your quest has ended at West Coast Water Security. Contact us and explore our courses for Lifeguard Course Certification. We offer a plethora of services for you to choose from.

Benefits of Learning About CPR in Lifeguard Training

Learning CPR course Perth as a part of lifeguard training is essential to your career as a lifeguard. When you’re on the job, you may be called upon to administer CPR to someone who has lost consciousness and needs immediate medical attention.

CPR or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation is a technique that involves performing chest compressions and artificial respiration on a person who has stopped breathing and doesn’t have a pulse. It can save lives if performed correctly in an emergency.

This blog post will discuss some benefits of learning about CPR Perth as lifeguard training.

What are the benefits of learning about CPR in lifeguard training?

Learning about CPR refresher course in Perth is integral to lifeguard training and can save lives. Not only does it increase your understanding of human physiology, but it also gives you the chance to practice skills that you can use in real-life situations. Here are four benefits of learning about CPR in lifeguard training as a CPR course in Perth:

You’ll know how to help a drowning victim

This is the most important thing you can learn about CPR in lifeguard training. Knowing what to do when someone is drowning is essential, and knowing how to perform CPR can make all the difference in whether or not that person makes it.

When a person is drowning, their body is in a state of shock, and their lungs are filled with water. Giving CPR keeps oxygen flowing to the brain and heart, allowing them to live through this critical period while being rescued.

You’ll feel more confident in your ability to handle any situation that arises at work or home.

One of the most important benefits of learning how to perform CPR is that it teaches you how to remain calm and composed in any situation. This is especially true when you’re working with others, as there are typically more people involved with performing CPR than just yourself. If you learn how to perform CPR, you can stay calm during an emergency and make sure that everyone else does too.

Performing CPR also gives you a sense of pride in knowing that you have saved someone’s life!

You’ll learn how to use automated external defibrillators (AEDs)

One of the benefits of learning about CPR course Perth as a lifeguard training is that it will help you to use automated external defibrillators(AEDs) better. AEDs treat sudden cardiac arrest, a condition in which the heart suddenly stops beating and pumping blood.

When a person suffers from sudden cardiac arrest and an AED is present, it can be used to restore their heartbeat. This is done by delivering a shock to their heart and restoring its normal rhythm so they can begin breathing again.

Networking with other lifeguards

One of the most important aspects of becoming a lifeguard is networking. Networking with other lifeguards within your community is one way to stay informed about changes in local regulations, as well as procedures for handling emergencies and responding to incidents at the beach or pool.

Learning about CPR courses Perth as a lifeguard training can help you build your network even further by making it easier for you to connect with other lifeguards around town who may need help during an emergency or want advice on handling certain situations.

Summing It Up

West Coast Water Safety(WCWS) is the premier provider of water safety training. We offer a variety of classes and certifications, including lifeguard training, first aid certification, and advanced swimmer courses for children and adults. We are committed to providing high-quality education and training to help you become an expert in water safety.

Want To Be A Lifeguard? Certification And Testing

The Western Coast of Australia has some of the most stunning beaches overlooking the expanse of the blue ocean. These beaches are also some of the most dangerous ones, attracting over 1.5 million visitors from across the globe. The safety and security of the people are tasked to the lifeguards who are true professionals.

Thus lifeguard training is of utmost importance if you want to become one. However, you must note that these training programs are not mere swim classes; they challenge you physically and mentally so that you are thoroughly prepared to be a lifeguard.

Before undergoing any lifeguard training, you must decide what kind of lifeguard you aspire to be. Whether you would like your place of occupation by a pool, beach, or aquatic attractions. Each of these has its own sets of training and job responsibilities.

Pool lifeguards

They have their job responsibilities at the public or private pools, which may be at different depths (4-feet, 6 feet, and more).

Beach lifeguards

They have the responsibility of guarding areas in and around the beaches with open waters.

Waterfront lifeguards

These lifeguards are stationed at waterfronts with non-surf areas in lakes, rivers, or bays.

Aquatic attraction and event lifeguards

These are the lifeguards who guard water parks and other aquatic areas with less than 5 meters depth.

1. Eligibility for lifeguard training For lifeguard training, you must be over 16 years of age. Having a driver’s license and a good driving record is a plus point.

2. You must be over a threshold height and weight for being a lifeguard.

3. You must have the physical strength and capacity to rescue others who struggle in the water. Thus physical endurance is a key criterion for becoming a lifeguard.

4. You must have a perfect vision. Since Lifeguards must be able to spot victims immediately, they must have a 20/20 vision.

Lifeguard certification

Being able to swim is not enough when it comes to acquiring certification for lifeguard training. You must undergo some important courses that would train you for being a Lifeguard. There are courses designed for specific responsibilities like courses for aquatic attractions, Hydrotherapy courses, and so on.

These train you the skills that would enable you to efficiently detect, prevent and respond to any rescue emergencies in an aquatic environment. Additional courses give medical first aid to the victims like CPR, medical first aid, and advance first-aid for children and adults.

Besides, lifeguards are trained to use various floatation devices and whistles to be able to communicate effectively through walkie-talkies while handling an emergency.

Lifeguard testing

Once you complete your training, you may take the lifeguard test, which entails a written test as well as a swim test to enable you to test your knowledge and training in a realistic environment. A real situation can differ from training, and this test helps the certifiers ensure that the candidate is fool-proof.

West Coast Water Safety offers many courses for face-to-face lifeguard training in groups at a suitable location near you. These include aquatic programs as well as first aid programs.

Do Not Resuscitate tattoos – What would you do?

Do Not Resuscitate tattoos

Image: New England Journal of Medicine

I get this question a bit during my training courses and kept thinking while I would continue to resuscitate the patient, I really must look into this. No need to do that now after the great article below arrived in my inbox from the guru’s at Royal Lifesaving WA. So here is the answer to this often asked question.

What would you do if you came across an unconscious person needing CPR, but they had a tattoo that said, ‘DO NOT RESUSCITATE’? Would you ignore the tattoo and continue treatment of the casualty? Would there be any legal ramifications of ignoring the tattoo? How would you know if the tattoo genuinely represents the person’s wishes, or if it’s just a joke?

These were questions faced by a team of doctors in the US when a patient was brought into a hospital emergency department. They discovered the words ‘DO NOT RESUSCITATE’ clearly tattooed across his chest, with the ‘Not’ underlined and what they presumed was his signature tattooed underneath the statement.

Faced with the dilemma of not knowing whether the tattoo was sincere, the doctors initially decided to administer some treatment while consulting with their hospital ethics team. The ethics team reviewed the case and advised the doctors to honour the tattoo, because it was reasonable to infer that it expressed the man’s wishes.

The man later died without being resuscitated, and it was discovered that he had, in fact, completed a form expressing his wishes which were consistent with the tattoo. The case sparked international discussion around the validity of these tattoos and whether they are legally binding.

So what would happen in Australia?

Hospitals in Australia typically don’t have an ethics team on call to review individual cases. Advance care planning does exist here; however, the laws differ between states and territories. Generally, treating doctors must be satisfied that the person was competent when they made the directive, that they understood the risks of refusing care and that it applies to the current situation – all virtually impossible for a first responder to determine when coming across an unconscious person in need of CPR.

While a Do Not Resuscitate tattoo could in fact represent a person’s wishes, without sighting documentation to verify this we cannot know for sure. Perhaps it was their wish at the time of getting the tattoo, but they have since changed their mind. Perhaps the tattoo was done in jest, or while under the influence. Additionally, the shorter version that simply states the initials ‘DNR’ presents even more ambiguity – it could stand for something else entirely.

First responders in Australia are trained that consent is implied if a casualty is unconscious. We cannot assume to know what the person would want at the time of needing care. It is important to always follow your training and provide CPR if it is required.

Book Your course with us.

Rock Fishing- Australia’s most dangerous sport

Q: Is rock fishing safe?

Rock fishing is the most dangerous marine sport in Australia. Every year people die while rock fishing. If you want to rockfish, learn how to minimise the risks.

Q: How can I reduce the risks of rock fishing?

The three main ways to reduce the risks of rock fishing are:
1) check and understand the weather conditions and tides before you leave home
2) never fish alone
3) wear the right fishing safety gear.

Q: What is the best type of gear to wear?

Wear gear that stops you from slipping into the water or reduces problems if you do go into the surf. Wear shoes with non-slip soles or cleats. Rock plates or cleats are essential on wet, weedy rocks. Wear lightweight clothing and a flotation jacket, so that if you’re swept off rocks, you are buoyant and your clothes don’t drag you underwater. Also, wear head protection because many people who have drowned when swept off rocks have received some sort of head injury.

Q: How do I know if a spot is safe?

No place is perfectly safe for rock fishing. To minimize risks, fish only with others in places where experienced anglers go. Spend at least half an hour watching the wind and wave action before deciding whether a place is suitable. Think – what will your fishing spot be like in a few hour’s time with different tides and a weather change?

Q: Do I need a fishing license?

If you’re over 18 and not a pensioner, you need a license to fish. This includes rock fishing and collecting bait. Recreational fishing licenses and renewals are processed through the Department of Transport’s DotDirect website. For more information visit www.fish.wa.gov.au

Q: I do enjoy collecting abalone, oysters, or other mollusks off the rocks. Is this as dangerous as rock fishing?

Whenever you’re on coastal rocks where waves can sweep you into the water, you should follow the same practical guidelines to minimize the risk of being washed away – know and understand the weather conditions and tides, don’t go alone, and wear the right gear, especially non-slip shoes. And remember you need a fishing license when collecting any marine creatures, even by hand. Contact us for more details.

Boating Safety

Q: When and why should I check the weather conditions before I go out boating to follow boating safety?

A thorough check of weather conditions is vital every time one goes boating and has to follow boating safety. This includes having an appreciation of how the conditions may change throughout the day. A forecast change in weather for example may result in relatively calm conditions in the morning turning into potentially dangerous conditions in the afternoon.

Make sure your vessel is appropriate for the conditions and that you have the necessary experience to handle the forecast conditions. Remember if in doubt, don’t go out.

Q: I’ve been boating for years and can swim OK, do I still need to wear a life jacket?

Life jackets or PFDs are an important safety item on any boat and there should be one onboard for each person. Children and poor swimmers should always wear a PFD.

Make sure that your life jacket is in good condition, accessible and ready for use or preferably WEAR IT because a life jacket stowed way will not do the job it was designed for.

Q: Is it OK to have a few beers when out on the water in a boat?

The combination of wind waves and weather can multiply the effects of alcohol and collectively are known as ‘boater fatigue’. Persons with ‘boater fatigue’ are at a greater risk of drowning should they fall into the water.

The blood alcohol limits are the same on the water as on our roads. A person in charge of a vessel must keep under the 0.05 blood alcohol limit. For commercial vessel operators the lower blood alcohol limit of 0.02 applies.

Beach Safety

Q: Where should I bathe and swim at the beach?

Bathe and swim between the red and yellow beach flags which indicate beach patrol – bathing and swimming permitted. This area is set up on a daily basis and is constantly under surveillance by beach safety.

Q: Who watches bathers and swimmers between the red and yellow flags?

Professional lifeguards and weekend volunteer lifesavers ensure that people bathing and swimming between the red and yellow flags are constantly under surveillance. Many coastal Councils employ professional ocean lifeguards at beaches 5, 6 or 7 days each week during the Spring, Summer and Autumn seasons or all year round at their most popular beaches. Volunteer lifesavers also attend patrols on weekends during the summer season.

Q: What signs are used at beaches?

Australian Standard water safety signs are used at beaches to help provide information, warn people of particular hazards, and to regulate or prohibit some activities. If you are unsure of what a sign means, then ask an on-duty professional lifeguard or volunteer lifesaver.

Q: What if I am unsure about the water conditions?

Approach the professional lifeguard or weekend volunteer lifesaver and ask about the conditions.

Q: How do I recognise professional lifeguards and volunteer lifesavers?

Professional lifeguards and volunteer lifesavers are located in or near prominently identified equipment including beach shelters, surveillance towers, 4WD vehicles, lifeguard powercraft (RWC or Rescue Water Craft also known as Jet Skis) and inshore rescue boats ( also known as Inflatable Rescue Boats or IRBs) . Council professional lifeguards typically wear long-sleeved white or blue shirts with the word LIFEGUARD in block letters on the front and back and blue shorts/tracksuit pants, full blue uniforms as seen on the popular television series BONDI RESCUE, Volunteer lifesavers wear red and yellow including the red and yellow skull cap.

Q: What is a rip?

A rip is a seaward-moving water current. After waves have broken and run shore-wards the accumulated water then moves seaward through a pathway of least resistance which usually is a channel called a rip. Rips move in different directions and flow rates depending upon the nature of the beach and prevailing conditions including swell direction, wave size, and tide level. Rips are the cause of numerous near-drowning and drowning deaths because inexperienced people often panic and exhaust themselves struggling against the flow of the rip.

Q: Where do rips occur in Beach Safety?

Rips occur whenever there is wave activity at beaches – near sandbars and in and around rocks, breakwalls, or any permanent ocean floor to water surface fixture in the ocean. When the waves are small the rips usually move in a circular pattern back towards a sandbank within the surf break, however the larger the waves, the stronger the flow, width, and length of the rips. During high surf, rips can travel past the surf break and are called mega rips.

Q: What do I do if I get caught in a rip?

Crosscurrents and flash rips can cause people to be washed from a bathing and swimming area that is usually a location where waves break on sandbars. Staying calm is essential. Saving energy is not going directly against the rip is important. At beaches where the bathing and swimming area is identified with red and yellow flags, or surfers are nearby, it is best to save energy by floating and requesting assistance if caught in a rip by waving an arm and calling out for help. Floating and conserving energy is important until help arrives. Struggling against a rip is very exhausting and can lead to panic. Float, relax and save your life if caught in Beach Safety.

Q: What equipment do lifeguards use?

Council professional ocean lifeguards are trained in beach management and emergency response. They are highly skilled in the use of a range of first aid and rescue equipment including: rescue boards, rescue tubes, neck braces, spinal boards, defibrillators, trauma packs, analgesic gases, radio communication, quad cycles, ATVs & 4WD response vehicles, lifeguard powercraft (RWC or Jetski) with rescue sleds, water safety signage and protective equipment.

Automatic External Defibrillator AED Quiz

Summer the Season for Child Drowning

Summer is fast approaching and so is the season for drowning deaths and child drowning incidents of West Australian children.

Homeowners need to check now to make ensure that the pool barrier complies with Australian Standards and current state regulations. Make sure fences are secure and gates self-close and securely latch. Very importantly ensure there is nothing leaning up against the fence or able to be dragged over to the fence and used as a step ladder. These are your kids, they are just like you, cunning and smart!

Make sure this summer (and every summer actually) that all children, your own and those of visitors to your home are supervised when in and around water. If you are holding a party and your home has a pool ensure it is securely locked, or, if you plan to use your pool ensure a qualified/competent adult that knows CPR is on duty in the pool area at all times. If you prefer, West Coast Water Safety can provide nationally qualified lifeguards, with Working with Children (WWC) and National Police Clearance, that will not only watch your pool for you but actually get in the water with the kids and entertain them. Imagine that a pool party where all you have to do is entertain the adult guests and relax. Leave the kids and water safety to us!

Children under 5 years of age are the most at risk of drowning. Between 1995 and 1999, 50 children under the age of 14 years drowned in Western Australia, about half of these were under 5 years of age. For the same period, 247 children were admitted to WA hospitals after an immersion incident or near-drowning.

Maybe you need to think about hiring a professional Lifeguard for the duration of your party. Crazy? Not really, imagine the medical bills, $900+ for the ambulance alone. How much is a life worth?

Need a lifeguard? Let me know and I will arrange it all for you.

Minimise the risk, make sure no one drowns in your pool and make this a good summer for all of us.

Kev Emery

Professional Lifeguard
West Coast Water Safety
www.wcws.com.au

Blue-Bottles what exactly are they?

BLUE-BOTTLES:
The Portuguese man o’ war (Blue Bottle) is composed of three types of medusoids (gonophores, liposomal nectophores, and vestigial liposomal nectophores) and four types of polyploids (free gastrozooids, gastrozooids with tentacles, gonozooids, and gonfalons), grouped into comedian beneath the pneumatophore, a sail-shaped structure filled with gas. The pneumatophore should probably not be considered a polyp, as it develops from the planula, unlike the other polyps. This sail is bilaterally symmetrical, with the tentacles at one end. It is translucent and is tinged blue, purple, pink, or mauve. It may be 9 to 30 cm (3.5 to 11.8 in) long and may extend as much as 15 cm (5.9 in) above the water. The sail is equipped with a siphon. In the event of a surface attack, the sail can be deflated, allowing the organism to briefly submerge.

The other three polyp types are known as dactylozooid (defense), gonozooid (reproduction), and gastrozooid (feeding). These polyps are clustered. The dactylzooids make up the tentacles that are typically 10 m (33 ft) in length but can reach over 30 m (98 ft). The long tentacles “fish” continuously through the water, and each tentacle bears stinging, venom-filled nematocysts (coiled, thread-like structures), which sting and kill adult or larval squids and fishes. Large groups of Portuguese man o’ war, sometimes over 1,000 individuals, may deplete fisheries. Contractile cells in each tentacle drag the prey into a range of the digestive polyps, the gastrozooids, which surround and digest the food by secreting enzymes that break down proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, while the gonozooids are responsible for reproduction. Contact us to know our courses.