Effective Patron Surveillance

The most important duty your lifeguards have is patron surveillance-keeping a close watch over people in the aquatic facility. Effective patron surveillance requires that lifeguards recognize behaviors or situations that may lead to life-threatening emergencies, such as drowning or injuries to the head, neck or back. If lifeguards determine a person is trouble in the water, they must respond quickly.

Lifeguards trained by the American Red Cross are taught to look for behaviors that indicate a swimmer is in distress or a person is drowning. It is certain behaviors, not a patron's physical characteristics or appearance, such as age or ethnic background, that help a lifeguard determine if someone is in trouble-and if help is needed. Red Cross-trained lifeguards are taught to look for differences in breathing, arm and leg action, body position, and body propulsion or locomotion (movement) through the water. Knowing the differences in behaviors helps your lifeguards determine if a person is a swimmer, distressed swimmer, or active or passive drowning victim.

Scanning is a critical element in being able to recognize a victim in trouble in the water. Scanning is a dynamic process that requires lifeguards to actively observe patrons' behavior and look for signals that someone in the water needs help. The American Red Cross Lifeguard Training course does not set any time frame in which a lifeguard scans and responds.

Some training agencies require the use of the 10/20 protection rule. The rule states that a lifeguard has 10 seconds to recognize an aquatic emergency and another 20 seconds to perform a rescue and begin care. The 10/20 protection rule is neither used nor supported by the American Red Cross. The Red Cross lifeguarding development teams and volunteer advisory groups, which consisted of experts in the lifeguarding field, first reviewed this concept in 1993 and again in 2001. The result of both reviews was that the 10/20 protection rule was not a viable method for scanning, victim recognition and response because there was no basis, background or references to research regarding this rule.

In addition, the following reasons were also noted:

• The trigger for the 10/20 protection rule is surprise. It is stated by some that this state lasts for 10-20 seconds. However, surprise is not a valid descriptor of the surface struggle of a drowning person.
• An exception to the 10/20 protection rule directs lifeguards to "allow more time for areas of high-risk and blind spots." This exception effectively neutralizes the 10-second recognition component of this rule.
• The 10/20 protection rule relies upon trait-centered surveillance-identifying high-risk guests (such as minorities, elderly and obese persons). This type of surveillance reinforces racial, age and other stereotypes and suggests to lifeguards that it is acceptable to use external physical characteristics during patron surveillance.
• Trait-centered surveillance interferes with effective surveillance by increasing scanning variables. The Red Cross Lifeguard Training course teaches lifeguards to recognize four behaviors while the National Pool and Waterpark Lifeguard Training manual requires lifeguards to look for 14 variables when scanning.

The American Red Cross Lifeguard Training course provides detailed information to lifeguards on how to effectively scan, recognize a swimmer in distress or a drowning person, and respond quickly. The Red Cross advises lifeguard supervisors to provide regular and frequent in-service training that reinforce their lifeguard team's ability to conduct effective patron surveillance, recognize life-threatening behaviors and respond quickly and appropriately. Staying vigilant in these areas can mean the difference between life and death for a distressed or drowning victim.

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