New York Codes, Rules and Regulations
Title 10 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Chapter I - State Sanitary Code
Part 6 - Swimming Pools, Bathing Beaches And Recreational Aquatic Spray Grounds
Subpart 6-2 - Bathing Beaches
Operation and Supervision
Section 6-2.20 - Aquatic supervisory skill requirements
Universal Citation: 10 NY Comp Codes Rules and Regs ยง 6-2.20
Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 39, September 25, 2024
The New York State Department of Health is responsible for review of training courses and/or certification programs to determine acceptability.
(a) Supervision Level I--surf lifeguard.
(1) The supervision level
requirements for this level shall take effect May 15, 1994.
(2) No person shall be qualified under this
subdivision unless such person:
(i) has a
minimum age of 16 years; and
(ii)
possesses a current A.R.C. basic life support for the professional rescuer CPR
or equivalent certification; the certification period must not exceed one year;
and
(iii) has a minimum of 20 hours
(24 hours if first aid skills are included) of training acceptable to the
commissioner covering those items set forth in this subdivision (stated time
periods do not include final examination time or conditioning swims). Such
training and ocean testing must be satisfactorily completed prior to assignment
at ocean front and the certification period of training and testing must not
exceed three years.
The training course and recertification program will be determined to be acceptable if, after a review, all the materials submitted by the program sponsor are determined to be complete and substantially meet the requirements of this section. Instructors shall have sufficient experience and knowledge in lifeguarding to effectively communicate the subject matter required by this section.
(a)
lifeguard orientation:
(1) program goals and
objectives;
(2) chain of
command;
(3) introduction to job of
a lifeguard;
(4) introduction to
lifesaving equipment and facilities;
(b) preventive lifeguarding:
(1) rules and regulations;
(2) victim recognition;
(i) distressed situation;
(ii) drowning situation (active vs.
passive);
(3) bather
supervision:
(i) areas of
responsibility;
(ii) visual
surveillance;
(iii) lifeguard
stations;
(iv) lifeguard rotation
and relief;
(4) causes
of incidents/injuries;
(5)
recognition of hazards;
(c) environmental hazards;
(d) communications:
(1) basic systems:
(i) between guards;
(ii) whistle system;
(iii) radio/phone, if applicable;
(iv) flag system for informing of water
conditions, if applicable;
(2) emergency procedures:
(i) emergency action plans;
(ii) emergency medical service (EMS)
response;
(3) public
communication:
(i) warnings;
(ii) dangerous conditions;
(iii) lost person;
(e) rescue techniques and
procedures:
(1) victim
detection/recognition;
(2) front
and back escapes (front head hold, rear head hold escapes, blocks);
(3) rescues with equipment (buoys, tubes,
rescue boards);
(4) rescues without
equipment;
(5) multiple
rescues;
(6) lost bather
drill/plan/practice (surface dive in nine feet of water and retrieve object
from bottom);
(7) removal from
water:
(i) carries;
(ii) care of back and neck
injuries;
(f)
first aid and emergency care (possession of a valid American Red Cross standard
first aid or equivalent certification may be substituted for this segment.)
(1) bleeding and shock;
(2) choking;
(3) temperature extremes;
(4) spinal injuries (management in aquatic
environment);
(5) diabetic
emergencies;
(6)
seizures;
(7) heart attacks and
strokes;
(8) fractures,
dislocation, sprains and strains;
(9) burns;
(10) eye and nose injuries;
(11) alcohol and drug overdoses;
(g) records and reports.
(iv) Such person must:
(a) correctly answer at least 80 percent of
the questions in a written and/or oral test on theory and knowledge;
and
(b) successfully
perform/demonstrate all skills; this evaluation may be based upon observance of
such person throughout the training program, and complete a 50 yard crawl in 35
seconds or less (unless the individual possesses Level II certification);
and
(c) such person must complete a
skills test to be conducted in the ocean, consisting of:
(1) a 300 yard crawl endurance swim;
and
(2) a 50 yard swim to victim,
carrying needed equipment, followed by a carry to shore and removal of victim
from water.
(b) Supervision Level IIb--pool and beach lifeguard.
(1) The requirements of this
subdivision shall take effect on May 15, 1993.
(2) No person shall be qualified under this
subdivision unless such person:
(i) has a
minimum age of 16 years (15 years is acceptable if a supervisory lifeguard is
present); and
(ii) has a current
A.R.C. basic life support for the professional rescuer, CPR or equivalent
certification; the certification period shall not exceed one year;
and
(iii) demonstrates a current
ability to swim 300 yards nonstop using various strokes in good form; and
surface dive to minimum nine foot depth and bring a 10 pound object to surface;
and tread water for one minute; and
(iv) possesses a current certification from a
recognized certifying agency acceptable to the State Health Commissioner or has
within not more than a consecutive three-year period of time, completed a
minimum of 20 hours (24 hours if first aid skills are included) of training
acceptable to the commissioner covering those items outlined below (time
periods do not include final examination time or conditioning swims):
The training course and recertification program will be determined to be acceptable if, after a review, all the materials submitted by the program sponsor are determined to be complete and substantially meet the requirements of this section. Instructors shall have sufficient experience and knowledge in lifeguarding to effectively communicate the subject matter required by this section.
(a) program
goals and objectives;
(b)
preventive lifeguarding;
(c) victim
recognition;
(d) equipment:
(1) rescue (buoys, tubes, reach pole, surf
board, backboard, boat, mask, fins, snorkel);
(2) safety/lifeguarding (lifelines,
lifeguards stands);
(3) personal
(uniform/clothing, whistle, sunglasses, binoculars, sunscreen);
(e) orientation;
(f) in-service training;
(g) types of emergencies:
(1) life-threatening;
(2) nonlife-threatening;
(h) spinal injury management;
(i) special situations:
(1) hypothermia;
(2) heat emergencies;
(3) seizures;
(j) communication systems;
(k) emergency action plans;
(l) waterfront areas;
(m) search and recovery equipment and
operations;
(n) physical fitness
concepts;
(o) weather and
environmental conditions;
(p)
records and reports;
(q) first aid
and emergency care (possession of a valid American Red Cross standard first aid
or equivalent certification may be substituted for this segment):
(1) bleeding and shock;
(2) choking;
(3) temperature extremes;
(4) spinal injuries;
(5) diabetic emergencies;
(6) seizures;
(7) heart attacks and strokes;
(8) fractures, dislocations, sprains and
strains;
(9) burns;
(10) eye and nose injuries;
(11) alcohol and drug overdoses;
(r) skills practice:
(1) water entry;
(2) moving victim to safety;
(3) equipment use (buoys, tubes, poles,
rescue board, backboard, boat, mask, fins, snorkel);
(4) surface dive and underwater
swimming;
(5) underwater
search;
(6) search and
recovery;
(7) lifts and
assists;
(8) throwing
assists;
(9) reaching
assists;
(10) equipment
extension;
(11) rescue breathing
with flotation;
(12) rescue
breathing without flotation;
(13)
defense;
(14) escapes;
(15) multiple victim rescues;
(16) spinal injury, shallow water;
(17) spinal injury, deep water;
(v) such person must:
(a) correctly answer at least 80 percent of
the questions on a written and/or oral test on theory and knowledge;
and
(b) successfully
perform/demonstrate all skills; and
(c) successfully:
(1) complete a 25-yard freestyle swim in 20
seconds; and
(2) perform a shallow
dive, sprint 25 yards, recover 10-pound object from pool edge or gutter, then
return 25 yards supporting 10-pound object; and
(3) demonstrate knowledge of:
(i) approaches;
(ii) escapes;
(iii) carries/tows;
(iv) spinal (shallow water) entry, approach,
turn and support victim;
(v) spinal
(deep water) entry, approach, turn and move victim to poolside or shallow
end;
(vi) rescue tube
swim/use;
(vii) surface dive and
underwater swim;
(viii) tread water
for one minute holding a diving brick with both hands.
(c) Supervision Level III.
(1) The requirements of this subdivision
shall take effect on May 15, 1993.
(2) No person shall be qualified under this
subdivision unless such person:
(i) has a
minimum age of 18 years; and
(ii)
possesses a current A.R.C. community CPR or equivalent certification; the
certification period must not exceed one year; and
(iii) is competent to:
(a) understand and apply the rules and
regulations of this Part and implement the safety plan; and
(b) evaluate environmental hazards;
and
(c) use lifesaving equipment
and facility; and
(d) undertake
bather/crowd control.
(d) Supervision Level IV.
(1) The requirements of this subdivision
shall take effect on May 15, 1993.
(2) No person shall be qualified under this
subdivision unless such person:
(i) is at
least 18 years of age; and
(ii)
possesses a current A.R.C. community CPR or equivalent certification.
(e) Lifeguard supervision and management.
(1) No person
shall be qualified under this subdivision unless such person:
(i) Possesses current certification issued by
a certifying agency determined by the State Department of Health to provide an
adequate level of training in lifeguard supervision and management covering
those items set forth below. Certification shall be valid for the time period
specified by the certifying agency, but may not exceed a consecutive three-year
period from course completion. The training course will be determined to be
acceptable if, after a review, all the materials submitted by the program
sponsor are determined to be complete and meet the requirements of this
section. Instructors shall have sufficient experience and knowledge in
lifeguard supervision and management to effectively communicate the subject
matter required by this section:
(a) Program
Goals and Objectives.
(b) Lifeguard
and Lifeguard Supervisor Duties and Responsibilities.
(c) Injury Prevention and Preventative
Lifeguarding:
(1) Communication
Systems.
(2) Patron Surveillance:
(i) Victim Recognition.
(ii) Effective Scanning.
(iii) Lifeguard Positioning and
Rotation.
(iv) Lifeguard
Breaks.
(3) Surveillance
for Groups:
(i) Instruction
Programs.
(ii) Large Groups and
Children's Camps:
(A) Coordinating Large
Groups and Pre-arrangements.
(B)
Buddy and Board Systems.
(C)
Swimming Ability Assessment.
(D)
Swimming Area Selection.
(iii) Competitive Events.
(4) Facility Operation and
Management:
(i) Safety Equipment.
(ii) Hazards.
(iii) Weather Conditions.
(d) Types of
Emergencies and Emergency Action Plans (EAP).
(e) Lifeguard Preparedness:
(1) Staff Orientation and Training.
(2) In-service Training.
(f) Risk Management.
(ii) Such person must correctly answer at
least 80 percent of the questions on a written and/or oral test on theory and
knowledge.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. New York may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google
Privacy Policy and
Terms of Service apply.
