100 Terms Every Lifeguard Should Know

No.	Term	Definition
1.	ABCDE assessment	Primary survey: airway, breathing, circulation, disability, exposure.
2.	AED	Device delivering shock for lethal arrhythmias.
3.	Airway	Passage for breathing; must be open.
4.	Airway adjunct	OPA/NPA used to maintain airway.
5.	Alertness	Level of consciousness and responsiveness.
6.	Allergic reaction	Immune response causing swelling, hives, wheeze.
7.	Anaphylaxis	Severe allergy causing airway or shock.
8.	Aquatic facility rules	Posted policies for patron safety.
9.	Aspiration	Inhaling water or vomit into lungs.
10.	Asthma attack	Airway narrowing causing wheeze, breathlessness.
11.	Backboard	Rigid board for spinal immobilization.
12.	Bag-valve mask (BVM)	Manual ventilation device with mask.
13.	Beach flags	Color-coded conditions and hazard warnings.
14.	Bite and sting	Injury from animals or insects.
15.	Bloodborne pathogens	Diseases spread via blood exposure.
16.	Body substance isolation	Use barriers to prevent contamination.
17.	Breathing	Air movement in and out of lungs.
18.	Buddy system	Pairing swimmers for mutual monitoring.
19.	Burn	Tissue damage from heat or chemicals.
20.	Capillary refill	Quick check of peripheral perfusion.
21.	Cardiac arrest	No effective heartbeat; needs CPR/AED.
22.	Chain of survival	Steps improving cardiac arrest outcomes.
23.	Chest compressions	Manual pumping to circulate blood.
24.	Chin-lift	Airway opening without neck extension.
25.	Circulation	Blood flow to organs and tissues.
26.	Cold-water immersion	Exposure causing hypothermia and shock.
27.	Concussion	Brain injury from head impact.
28.	Contaminated water	Water with pathogens or chemicals.
29.	CPR	Compressions and breaths for cardiac arrest.
30.	Cramp	Painful involuntary muscle contraction.
31.	Cricothyrotomy	Emergency airway through neck membrane.
32.	Cyanosis	Bluish skin from low oxygen.
33.	Deep-water rescue	Rescue performed beyond standing depth.
34.	Defibrillation	Electric shock to restore normal rhythm.
35.	Dehydration	Fluid loss causing weakness and cramps.
36.	Diabetic emergency	Abnormal blood sugar causing altered mental status.
37.	Diving injury	Trauma from diving impacts or depth.
38.	DNR order	Directive to withhold resuscitation.
39.	Drowning	Respiratory impairment from submersion.
40.	Dry drowning	Nonstandard term; avoid using.
41.	Duty to act	Legal obligation to provide care on duty.
42.	EAP (Emergency Action Plan)	Facility procedures for emergencies.
43.	Egress	Safe exit route from water area.
44.	Emergency oxygen	Supplemental oxygen for breathing problems.
45.	EMS activation	Calling emergency medical services promptly.
46.	Environmental hazards	Risks from weather, wildlife, terrain.
47.	Epinephrine auto-injector	Self-injection for anaphylaxis treatment.
48.	Exertional heat illness	Heat stress from activity and humidity.
49.	Exposure	Checking body; preventing heat loss.
50.	Fainting (syncope)	Brief loss of consciousness from low perfusion.
51.	First aid	Immediate care until advanced help arrives.
52.	Flotation aid	Device assisting buoyancy during rescue.
53.	Fracture	Broken bone injury.
54.	Front rescue	Approach and tow from victim’s front.
55.	Gasping	Agonal breaths; treat as no breathing.
56.	Gastrointestinal illness	Vomiting or diarrhea from infection.
57.	Gloves	Barrier protection for body fluids.
58.	Guard rotation	Scheduled change of surveillance positions.
59.	Head-tilt chin-lift	Airway opening for nontrauma victim.
60.	Heat exhaustion	Heat illness with sweating, weakness, nausea.
61.	Heat stroke	Life-threatening overheating with altered mental status.
62.	Heimlich maneuver	Abdominal thrusts for choking.
63.	Hemorrhage	Severe bleeding requiring control.
64.	Hypothermia	Dangerously low body temperature.
65.	Hypoxia	Insufficient oxygen to tissues.
66.	In-line stabilization	Holding head/neck to limit movement.
67.	Incident report	Written record of event and actions.
68.	Inhaler (bronchodilator)	Medication device relieving bronchospasm.
69.	Jaw-thrust	Airway opening with suspected spinal injury.
70.	Laceration	Cut or tear in skin.
71.	Laryngospasm	Vocal cords spasm blocking airflow.
72.	Lifeguard tube	Rescue buoy worn with strap.
73.	Lookout scan	Systematic visual surveillance pattern.
74.	Lost child protocol	Steps to locate and reunite child.
75.	Mask seal	Tight fit preventing air leaks.
76.	Mechanism of injury	How injury occurred; guides assessment.
77.	Neck injury	Possible cervical spine trauma.
78.	NPA	Nasal airway adjunct for ventilation.
79.	OPAs	Oral airway adjunct preventing tongue obstruction.
80.	Open water	Natural bodies: ocean, lake, river.
81.	Overcrowding	Too many patrons for safe supervision.
82.	Panic	Fear-driven behavior increasing drowning risk.
83.	Patron surveillance	Continuous monitoring of swimmers.
84.	PEARL	Pupils equal and reactive to light.
85.	Personal flotation device (PFD)	Life jacket providing buoyancy.
86.	Pool chemistry	Sanitizer and pH balance for safety.
87.	Post-rescue care	Ongoing monitoring after removal from water.
88.	Primary assessment	Initial check for life threats.
89.	Pulse check	Assess heartbeat presence and rate.
90.	Reach-throw-row-go	Rescue sequence minimizing rescuer risk.
91.	Recovery position	Side-lying position to protect airway.
92.	Red flags	Serious signs requiring urgent EMS.
93.	Rescue board	Rigid float used in surf rescues.
94.	Rescue breathing	Ventilations for breathing failure with pulse.
95.	Rescue can	Hard buoy used in open-water rescues.
96.	Rescue tube tow	Towing victim supported by rescue tube.
97.	Rip current	Strong narrow current flowing offshore.
98.	Rule enforcement	Consistent application of safety rules.
99.	Secondary assessment	Head-to-toe exam after stabilization.
100.	Seizure	Abnormal brain activity causing convulsions.