What should lifeguards prioritize during a rescue?

Lifeguards should prioritize ensuring their own safety first during a rescue because it enables them to act effectively without becoming a victim themselves. If a lifeguard does not take precautions to safeguard their well-being, they could risk drowning or injuring themselves, which would complicate the rescue and potentially endanger more lives.

Maintaining personal safety allows the lifeguard to perform the rescue effectively. This principle aligns with the guidelines of emergency response, which emphasize protecting responders as the foremost step in any critical situation. If the lifeguard is unharmed, they are in a better position to provide the necessary assistance to the victim, employ techniques correctly, and coordinate with other responders if needed.

In contrast, while completing the rescue quickly is important, speed should never come at the expense of safety. Ensuring that the lifeguard is safe sets the foundation for a successful rescue. Similarly, assessing the victim's capabilities and gathering information from bystanders are valuable actions but secondary to ensuring that the lifeguard can operate without risk to their own life. Without a lifeguard to perform the rescue, no assistance can be provided to the victim.