ABSTRACT
Lifeguards play an important role in protecting patrons as they swim in and spend time around recreational bodies of water. They provide vital information to patrons on how to prevent drowning and other injuries and also assist those in distress and provide emergency medical care when needed. Few studies have examined the effectiveness of lifeguards; however, a consistent water safety message from public health and safety organizations is to choose swimming locations with lifeguard supervision. This chapter explores drowning burden, prevention strategies, lifeguard effectiveness, efforts towards improved lifeguard standards and training and other interventions to improve patron safety.
