Seas and coastlines that are safe

THE COMPLETE LIST OF LIFEGUARD SAFETY EQUIPMENT USED

Lifeguards are unsung heroes who dedicate their life to save lives at sea. It’s not an easy job patrolling beaches for hours at a time, keeping a close eye on every visitor, and risking their own lives day in and day out to save others. Despite this, many lifeguards work hard in India, some of whom are government-employed and others who volunteer.

Safety training is an important part of the process of becoming a lifeguard. Lifeguards must be well-versed in life-saving techniques and knowledgeable with the safety equipment they will be using. They are also expected to employ personal life-safety equipment during rescue operations to avoid injuries to themselves.

Here, we look at both the personal safety equipment used by lifeguards and the safety equipment used by lifeguards to protect people from drowning.

Lifeguards use external safety equipment.

Lifeguards employ a number of tools to save people’s lives. Depending on the situation and the stage of the rescue, several types of gear must be used. The following is a list of some of the most prevalent lifeguarding devices.

Tube of Rescue

A rescue tube is a high-density foam tube that can be used in a variety of ways to keep a person from drowning. The lifeguard swims out, carrying the rescue tube behind him, until he reaches the distressed victim. The victim can then take a break on the rescue tube and begin swimming towards the shore with the assistance of the lifeguard. If the person is too weary or traumatised to swim, the tube can be wrapped around their body and dragged back to the shore by a lifeguard.

Backboard/Spineboard

Lifeguards use a backboard, also known as a spineboard, to rescue people who have been injured in the water or who have fallen unconscious and are unable to support themselves. It frequently includes a head immobiliser to keep the victim’s head from moving in the event of cranial trauma. With the use of a backboard, the sufferer is tied to the board and carried quickly to the shore.

Shepherd’s crook is a type of crook used by shepherds.

Lifeguards at swimming pools typically use a shepherd’s crook, also known as a lifesaving hook, to pull people out of the water. The hook is shaped like a shepherd’s crook, yet it is exceedingly flexible, as the name suggests. A long aluminium pole is linked to the hook, allowing it to readily stretch through the water. Lifeguards use the hook to catch the victim and slowly drag them to the deck.

Buoy in a Ring

For deep-sea rescues, ring buoys are one of the most commonly employed safety equipment by lifeguards. To help the victim float, lifebuoys are fashioned like a doughnut and can be worn around the waist or under the armpits. They’re typically built of HDPE shells filled with dense foam and painted bright orange to stand out from afar.

Lifeguards must verify that the ring buoy is thrown correctly towards the victim in order to avoid accidently hitting the individual.

Pole-reaching

A reaching pole is frequently accompanied with a float ball and a body hook, all of which are intended to pull a drowning person to safety. To lengthen the length of the pole, a series of clamps can be opened one by one. The person in distress can grip the pole once it reaches them, and the lifeguard will pull them back to the pool deck.