Southampton University Lifesaving Club

Whilst involved in University Lifesaving you will get the chance to learn highly valuable skills in and out of the water for saving lives in many different scenarios and on many different levels. The awards scheme is set so that you progress gradually from complete beginner to advanced lifesaver and hopefully fully fledged lifeguard over time.

Initial awards available

1. Bronze Medallion

This is the most basic award available and is aimed at the complete beginner to Lifesaving. It is a water based qualification which aims to equip the candidate with competent water safety knowledge and basic skills for the rescue of a casualty from the pool.
The training for the Bronze Medallion should consist of about 20 hours and end in a formal assessment. The training for bronze medallion usually takes place within normal sessions from October to Christmas.
Included in this award are:

• Life support techniques
• Theory about water safety
• Rescue principles
• Practical sessions covering land based and wading rescue
• Test of strength and stamina - a timed swim with clothing of 100 metres including a 50 metre tow
• Rescue of struggling casualty
• Submerged casualty resuscitation rescue
• Simulated incident involving the rescue of two casualties

2. Life Support 1

This award is run alongside the Bronze Medallion and is carried out on land in order to allow the candidate to achieve a competent level of knowledge in first aid including 'the diagnosis and treatment of choking, bleeding and shock'.
Included in this award is:

• Demonstrating on a live casualty simulated Rescue Breathing by using the Airway - Breathing - Circulation (ABC) method to check the casualty's breathing and pulse, full CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation), action for vomiting and the recovery position.
• Demonstrating on a child or adult manikin full Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
• Demonstrate the ability to contact the emergency services correctly, offering the correct information to the emergency services telephone operator. Answer 6 questions on the sequence of resuscitation, techniques of resuscitation, choking, bleeding & shock, differences in technique required for resuscitation of adults, children and infants.

This award is necessary for those wishing to take their Bronze Medallion and so will also be run from October - December.

Higher Level Awards

3. Award of Merit and Life Support 2/3

These awards are the logical step upwards from the two mentioned above with the water based Award of Merit designed to get the candidate up to a PROFICIENT LEVEL of standard in the theory behind Water Safety, Personal Survival and Rescue Principles.
Included in this award is:

• A land based rescue using an aid
• A water based rescue using an aid
• A non-contact rescue with a conscious casualty 50 metres away (3min 15sec)
• A contact rescue with a casualty who will struggle (50 metres)
• A resuscitation rescue (15 metres) - picking a body off the bottom.... (1 min 15 sec)
• An initiative rescue - two casualties (up to 20 metres)

In order to take the Award of Merit candidates must hold a valid Bronze Medallion as well as a Lifesupport 2 or 3 award and so once again these will be run alongside one another.

4. Distinction

Finally, there is the top lifesaving award which is Distinction and expects candidates to show an EXCELLENT LEVEL of standard in the theory and principles already learnt in the two previous awards.
Included in this award are:

• A land based rescue using an aid
• A water based rescue using an aid
• A non-contact rescue with a conscious casualty 100 metres away (6min)
• A contact rescue with a casualty who will struggle three times (50 metre swim, 100 metre tow)
• A resuscitation rescue (45 metres) - picking a body off the bottom.... (2 min 45 sec)
• An initiative rescue - three casualties (up to 25 metres)

However, the prerequisites for this award include a current Award of Merit, Lifesupport 3 and also the open water Silver Cross award.

Further information

• www.lifesavers.org.uk