Handling Immediate Medical Care at Aquatic Facilities: Do We Need Different Levels of Lifeguard Certification?

The first-responder and professional-rescuer training materials and training programs consider lifeguards to be first responders in emergencies (Aehlert, 2005; American Red Cross, 2001). This article asks readers to consider whether our agency lifeguard-training programs reflect a philosophy that truly view and prepare lifeguards as first responders. If not, I challenge readers to consider whether we should alter our hiring, staffing, and in-service training procedures at aquatic facilities based on the scope and need for providing adequate emergency care at those facilities