1. When controlling an active drowning victim, what should the rescuer keep between the victim and the rescuer?
Not quite
The rescue tube should stay between the rescuer and the victim. It helps protect the rescuer and provides flotation support.
Water Rescue Skills Practice Questions
When prevention and recognition are not enough, a lifeguard performs a water rescue. This part of the exam covers the assists and rescues used for distressed swimmers and drowning victims.
Topics include the rescue tube, reaching and throwing assists, entries and approaches, active and passive victim rescues, and removing a victim from the water — always keeping the rescuer safe.
Questions last reviewed June 2026 · AHA/ECC guidelinesHow our questions are made
What this part of the exam covers
- The rescue tube and its use as flotation for victim and rescuer
- Reaching and throwing assists (reach or throw, don't go)
- Entries and approaches: slide-in, stride jump, compact jump
- Active and passive drowning victim rescues
- Removing a victim from the water and rescuer safety
Practice questions
Choose an answer to test yourself — the explanation appears once you answer.
2. During a front rescue of an active drowning victim, what should the rescuer do first after reaching the person with a rescue tube?
Not quite
Use the rescue tube to establish control and keep the victim’s airway above water while keeping the tube between you and the victim. The tube stays in place because it helps support the person and create space for the rescuer at the start of contact.
3. What is the first priority when rescuing a passive drowning victim?
Not quite
A passive drowning victim may not be able to help themselves, so the first priority is to support the airway and get the person to safety. Keeping the victim face-up when possible helps keep the airway open during the rescue.
4. Why is a passive victim often kept face-up during rescue?
Not quite
Keeping the victim face-up helps keep the airway open. That matters because a passive victim may not be able to protect their own breathing.
5. Which entry is best when you need to enter shallow water carefully and keep control of your body?
Not quite
A slide-in entry is used when a careful entry is needed, especially in shallow or uncertain water. The other entries are better suited to situations where a quicker or more direct entry is appropriate, not when you need the most control.
6. Which action best supports a passive victim during the water rescue?
Not quite
A passive victim may not protect their own airway, so the rescuer must support it. The goal is safe movement with the airway as open as possible.
7. Why is a rescue tube kept between the rescuer and an active drowning victim during a front rescue?
Not quite
Keeping the tube between you and the victim gives you a barrier and flotation while you work. It protects the rescuer and supports the victim at the same time.
8. Why is a rear approach sometimes used with a victim?
Not quite
A rear approach is used to approach a distressed or panicked victim from behind so the rescuer can maintain control and avoid being grabbed. It improves safety and control, not to submerge the person.
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Frequently asked questions
- What is 'reach or throw, don't go'?
- It is a safety rule for untrained bystanders: try to reach the victim with an object or throw something that floats, rather than entering the water, where an untrained rescuer can become a second victim.
- What is a rescue tube used for?
- A rescue tube provides flotation that supports both the victim and the lifeguard during a rescue. Keeping the tube between you and an active victim also helps protect the rescuer.
- How does a passive victim rescue differ from an active one?
- An active victim is still struggling at the surface; a passive victim is unresponsive and may be face-down or submerged. A passive rescue focuses on getting the victim face-up, supporting the airway, and removing them quickly for care.
More lifeguard exam topics
- Professional Lifeguard Practice Questions
- Facility Safety Practice Questions
- Surveillance and Victim Recognition Practice Questions
- Injury Prevention Practice Questions
- Emergency Action Plan (EAP) Practice Questions
- Before Providing Care & Victim Assessment Practice Questions
- Breathing Emergencies Practice Questions
- CPR & Cardiac Emergencies Practice Questions
- First Aid Practice Questions
- Head, Neck & Spinal Injury Practice Questions