CRITERIA: Existence of an Emergency Action Plan

HOW: Evidence of the EAP is clearly apparent

ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS:

All lifeguards must have easy access to a current EAP

• EAP can be in manual format
• EAP can be in the format of poolside signage

EAP must succinctly specify the actions to be taken in every reasonably foreseeable emergency. In most cases this will be limited to pool and facility emergencies.  It should include reference to the following:

• Who is in charge
• Nature and location of emergency equipment
• Key steps in dealing with an emergency
• Pool rescue
• Medical alert,(choking, asthma, angina/heart attack, serious cuts, fractures and dislocations etc)
• Building evacuation
• Major first aid
• Spinals
• Aftercare for victims and staff
• A flowchart summary of the key steps in dealing with an emergency should be available to lifeguards
• A pool manual cross referencing health and safety policies, pool supervision policies, Normal Operating Procedures and Emergency Action Plan should be available to lifeguards giving them one-stop-shop access to the "big picture"

CRITERIA: Confirmation that staff understand and apply the pools EAP.

HOW: Visual check and questioning to verify that staff understand EAP.

ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS:

• Lifeguards must be able to outline the essential elements of the appropriate response to every reasonably foreseeable emergency.
• That the assessor is satisfied a victim would receive care expected from an entry level lifeguard using National Pool Lifeguard Award as the benchmark.
• Lifeguards are not required to know or even recognise the technical terms or even names of policies.
• Lifeguards should be asked to quote actual examples of the application of the pool EAP (unless they just do not happen).
• Lifeguards should be given hypothetical situations and asked for their response. The response should mirror the rationale behind policy.
• Senior lifeguards should know the plan backwards and be able to adapt it to cater to the more unlikely situations, e.g. multiple casualties.
• Formal EAP training is given regularly.