Description
Bronze Cross
Bronze Cross (20 hr.): begins the transition from lifesaving to lifeguarding and prepares candidates for responsibilities as assistant lifeguards. Candidates strengthen and expand their lifesaving skills and begin to apply the principles and techniques of active surveillance in aquatic facilities. Bronze Cross emphasizes the importance of teamwork and communication in preventing and responding to aquatic emergencies. Bronze Cross is a prerequisite for advanced training in the Society’s National Lifeguard and leadership certification programs.
Prerequisite: Bronze Medallion and Lifesaving Society Emergency or Standard First Aid certifications (need not be current) or EFA or SFA from one of these approved agencies.
Bronze Cross Exam Policy: Defines the minimum conditions under which Bronze level examinations may occur.
Bronze Cross requires a body of water that is at least 15 m long, 5 m wide and a minimum of 1.5 m deep (3 m preferred).
For all Bronze exams, the minimum number of candidates is one. Additional volunteers may be required to conduct an exam; however, the volunteers may not be the Examiner conducting the exam.
For Bronze Cross, additional volunteers (minimum of four) must participate, including one volunteer who is a current Bronze Cross candidate or someone who is currently certified in Bronze Cross or National Lifeguard. During Assistant Lifeguard Situations, candidates respond to emergency situations as a member and leader of an assistant lifeguard team. A minimum of two assistant lifeguarding situations are required.
Bronze Cross 291
Instruction & certification: Current Lifesaving Instructors teach and evaluate most items, but only Bronze Examiners may certify candidates. The Lifesaving Society deems its certifications to be “current” for 24 months from the certification date.
Candidate recognition: Bronze Cross medal, Bronze Cross Award crest, certification card.
Required reference material: Canadian Lifesaving Manual. Bronze Cross Workbook recommended.
AT-A-GLANCE
Knowledge Items
The Lifesaving Society: Demonstrate knowledge of the Lifesaving Society and awareness of its training program opportunities.
Skill Items
Self-rescue:
Simulate self-rescue techniques for the following circumstances: ice, swamped or capsized boat.
Wearing a shirt and lightweight pants, enter the water and don a lifejacket or PFD. Demonstrate HELP for 1 minute; form a huddle with two or more others for another minute.
Entries: Demonstrate three safe entries appropriate to the environment.
Swimming and lifesaving strokes:
Swim 25 m or yd. each of: front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke.
Swim 25 m or yd. each of: head-up front crawl, head-up breaststroke.
Swim 25 m or yd. each of: whip kick, eggbeater, scissor kick or inverted scissor kick.
Sculling: In ready position:
Scull in place for 30 seconds.
Scull head-first 10 m and scull
feet-first 10 m.
Victim recognition: Demonstrate ability to recognize the difference between a weak swimmer and a non-swimmer.
Reaching and throwing assists:
Demonstrate two reaching assists.
Demonstrate accuracy in throwing assists: throw a buoyant aid a distance of 5 m placing the aid within 1 m of the centre of a target three out of four times.
Throw a buoyant aid with line to a victim
5 m distant and pull the victim to safety.
Drowning resuscitation: On a manikin, demonstrate single-rescuer adult and child drowning resuscitation including ability to deal with complications.
Fitness Items
Obstacle swim: On the instructor’s signal, swim 50 m or yd. submerging under an obstacle twice during the swim.
Rescue drill: On the instructor’s signal, don a shoulder loop and line, enter the water and swim head-up to a partner or manikin located at the surface 25 m or yd. away. Tow partner or manikin to starting position.
Fitness challenge: Complete a 400 m or yd. fitness training workout:
100 m or yd. warm-up.
6 x 25 m or yd. one of front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke, or lifesaving kick.
2 x 50 m or yd. one of head-up front crawl or head-up breaststroke.
50 m or yd. cool-down.
