BSI Water Safety and Rescue Techniques 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the role of a designated "Water Watcher" at a swimming gathering?
- An adult who supervises swimmers continuously without distractions (Correct answer)
- A child chosen to lead games in the water
- A staff member who tests pool chemicals
- A swimmer who checks water temperature
Correct answer: An adult who supervises swimmers continuously without distractions
A Water Watcher gives constant, undistracted attention to swimmers and hands off the role formally.
Question 2: If an emergency happens during a swim lesson, what should the instructor do with the rest of the class?
- Let them continue the drill on their own
- Have them swim over to help
- Send them to the locker room alone
- Have them exit the water and stay under supervision in a safe spot (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Have them exit the water and stay under supervision in a safe spot
Clearing and supervising the class keeps other students from becoming victims while the emergency is handled.
Question 3: Why should instructors forbid hyperventilating before underwater swimming?
- It causes muscle cramps in the legs
- It raises blood oxygen to dangerous levels
- It can lead to shallow water blackout without warning (Correct answer)
- It makes swimmers too buoyant to submerge
Correct answer: It can lead to shallow water blackout without warning
Hyperventilation lowers carbon dioxide and delays the urge to breathe, so a swimmer can lose consciousness underwater.
Question 4: Which self-rescue skill is most useful for a tired swimmer who needs to rest and breathe?
- Diving to the bottom and pushing off
- Rolling onto the back to float (Correct answer)
- Sprinting to the nearest wall
- Treading water with arms only
Correct answer: Rolling onto the back to float
Rolling to a back float keeps the face out of the water with little effort.
Question 5: Before attaching AED pads to a victim removed from the pool, what should the rescuer do?
- Apply the pads over the wet swimsuit
- Wait for the victim to dry naturally
- Move the victim out of standing water and dry the chest (Correct answer)
- Pour water on the chest to improve contact
Correct answer: Move the victim out of standing water and dry the chest
A dry chest lets the pads stick and prevents the shock from traveling through water.
Question 6: How should you position a victim who is unresponsive but breathing normally after a water rescue, if no spinal injury is suspected?
- Sitting upright against a wall
- Face-down on the deck
- Flat on the back with the head raised
- In a recovery position on their side (Correct answer)
Correct answer: In a recovery position on their side
The recovery position helps keep the airway open and lets fluids drain.
Question 7: Why are competitive breath-holding games discouraged in swim programs?
- They lower the water temperature
- They make swimmers too buoyant
- They can cause hypoxic blackout and drowning (Correct answer)
- They damage swimmers' eardrums
Correct answer: They can cause hypoxic blackout and drowning
Prolonged breath-holding can cause a sudden loss of consciousness underwater.
BSI Water Safety and Rescue Techniques 5
What is the role of a designated "Water Watcher" at a swimming gathering?