Distinction (20-25 hr.): encourages a maturity
of response to demanding aquatic emergency situations and is
designed to develop advanced water rescue skill and knowledge, and
an understanding of the principles of fitness training. Distinction
challenges include implications of assuming responsibility in an
emergency, how to deal with 2 victims at once, and rescue of a
non-breathing spinal-injured victim. Inherent in the name of the
award, lifesavers must perform every item with distinction.
Prerequisite: Bronze Cross certification (need
not be current).
Instruction & certification: Current
Lifesaving Instructors teach and evaluate some items, but only
Bronze Examiners who hold Distinction may certify candidates. The
Lifesaving Society deems its certifications to be "current" for 24
months from the certification date.
Candidate recognition: Distinction medal,
Distinction Award crest, certification card.
Required reference material: Canadian
Lifesaving Manual
TEST Items
- *Demonstrate an understanding of:
- the implications of assuming responsibility in an
emergency
- the implications of the unsuccessful rescue
- types of spinal injuries and implications
- drowning patterns or trends and common aquatic accidents
- factors affecting the choice of water rescue emergency
procedures
- the effects of panic and stress upon a rescuer, victim or
bystander in an aquatic emergency and the implications for the
rescuer's decisions
- components of physical fitness and basic principles of
training
- *Demonstrate:
- the recovery of a non-breathing victim (clothed in shirt,
pants, shoes) submerged in deep water.
- Initiate rescue breathing using a buoyant aid for support while
travelling 25 m; and
- With no aid for support, travel 25 m to point of safety where
rescue breathing is initiated.
- a technique for the movement of two victims to nearest point of
safety.
- a carry (25 m or yd.) for 2 victims at once.
- Organize and demonstrate a search procedure/pattern for 1
trained lifesaver appropriate for circumstances described by the
evaluator.
- Recover and immobilize in deep water a breathing,
spinal-injured victim and return to the nearest points of
safety.
- :::
- *Demonstrate a head-up approach (100 m or yd.) to contact a
passive victim (clothed in shirt, pants, shoes) at the surface.
Carry the victim (100 m or yd.) to safety in the following time
limit: 200 m in 8 min. or 200yd. in 7:30 min.
- *Demonstrate 1 aquatic activity for each of the following:
- To place candidate's heart rate within personal Target
Zone;
- To improve muscular strength, power or endurance.
- Perform a rescue of a breathing or a non-breathing,
spinal-injured victim. Recruit trained bystanders and prepare
victim for transport. Situation is designed to emphasize
immobilization, stabilization and shallow water removal.
- Perform 2 rescues where the victim is suffering from any one of
the following conditions, or a combination of them:
- pulselessness
- asphyxia
- injury
- some other medical emergency: hyperventilation, major bleeding,
heart attack, stroke, heat-related problem or long bone
fracture.
- Swim:
- 50 m or yd. each of: legs only, front crawl, back crawl,
breaststroke.
- continuously 700 m or 750 yd. in 14 min. using any combination
of your choice of strokes.
* Asterisk indicates item is evaluated by the Instructor.