Lifesaving Merit Badge Workbook This workbook can help you but you still need to read the merit badge pamphlet. This Workbook can help you organize your thoughts as you prepare to meet with your merit badge counselor Merit Badge Counselors may not require the use of this or any similar workbooks. You still must satisfy your counselor that you can demonstrate each skill and have learned the information. You should use the work space provided for each requirement to keep track of which requirements have been completed, and to make notes for discussing the item with your counselor, not for providing full and complete answers. If a requirement says that you must take an action using words such as "discuss", "show", "tell", "explain", "demonstrate", "identify", etc, that is what you must do. No one may add or subtract from the official requirements found in Scouts BSA Requirements (Pub. + 33216) and/or on Scouting.org. The requirements were last issued or revised in 2021 • This workbook was updated in January 2021. Scout’s Name: __________________________________________ Unit: __________________________________________ Counselor’s Name: ____________________ Phone No.: _______________________ Email: _________________________ Please submit errors, omissions, comments or suggestions about this workbook to: [email protected] Comments or suggestions for changes to the requirements for the merit badge should be sent to: [email protected] 1. Before doing requirements 3 through 15, review with your counselor the principles of Safe Swim Defense. 2. Before doing requirements 3 through 15: a. Earn the Swimming merit badge. b. Swim continuously for 400 yards using each of the following strokes in a strong manner, in good form with rhythmic breathing, for at least 50 continuous yards: front crawl, sidestroke, breaststroke, and elementary backstroke. 3. Explain the following: a. Common drowning situations and how to prevent them. b. How to identify persons in the water who need assistance. Workbook © Copyright 2021 - U.S. Scouting Service Project, Inc. - All Rights Reserved Requirements © Copyright, Boy Scouts of America (Used with permission.) This workbook may be reproduced and used locally by Scouts and Scouters for purposes consistent with the programs of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) or other Scouting and Guiding Organizations. However it may NOT be used or reproduced for electronic redistribution or for commercial or other non-Scouting purposes without the express permission of the U. S. Scouting Service Project, Inc. (USSSP). Lifesaving Scout's Name: ________________________ c. The order of methods in water rescue. d. How rescue techniques vary depending on the setting and the condition of the person needing assistance. e. Situations for which in-water rescues should not be undertaken. 4. Demonstrate "reaching" rescues using various items such as arm, leg, towels, shirts, paddles, and poles. Arms Towels Paddles Legs Shirts Poles 5. Demonstrate "throwing" rescues using various items such as a line, ring buoy, rescue bag, and free-floating support. Successfully place at least one such aid within reach of a practice victim 25 feet from shore. Lines Rescue Bags Ring Buoys Free-Floating Supports 6. With your counselor's approval, view in-person or on video a rowing rescue performed using a rowboat, canoe, kayak, or stand up paddleboard. Discuss with your counselor how effectively and efficiently the rescue was performed. 7. List various items that can be used as aids in a “go” rescue. Lifesaving - Merit Badge Workbook Page. 2 of 9 Lifesaving Scout's Name: ________________________ Explain why buoyant aids are preferred. 8. Correctly demonstrate rescues for a conscious practice subject 30 feet from shore in deep water using two types of buoyant aids provided by your counselor. Use a proper entry and a strong approach stroke. Speak to the subject to determine his condition and to provide instructions and encouragement. a. Present one aid to a subject, release it, and swim at a safe distance as the subject moves to safety. b. In a separate rescue, present the other aid to a subject and use it to tow the victim to safety. 9. Discuss with your counselor when it is appropriate to remove heavy clothing before attempting a swimming rescue. Remove street clothes in 20 seconds or less, enter the water, and approach a conscious practice subject 30 feet from shore in deep water. Speak to the subject and use a nonbuoyant aid, such as a shirt or towel, to tow the subject to safety. 10. Discuss with your counselor the importance of avoiding contact with an active subject and demonstrate lead-and-wait techniques. 11. Perform the following non-equipment rescues for a conscious practice subject 30 feet from shore. Begin in the water from a position near the subject. Speak to the subject to determine his or her condition and to provide instructions and encouragement. a. Perform an armpit tow for a calm responsive, tired swimmer resting with a back float. b Perform a cross-chest carry for an exhausted responsive subject treading water. 12. In deep water, show how to escape from a victim's grasp on your wrist. Repeat for front and rear holds about the head and shoulders. 13. Perform the following rescues for an unconscious practice subject at or near the surface 30 feet from shore. Use a proper entry and strong approach stroke. Speak to the subject and splash water on the subject to determine his or her condition before making contact. Quickly remove the victim from the water, with assistance if needed, and position for CPR. a. Perform an equipment assist using a buoyant aid. b. Perform a front approach and wrist tow. c. Perform a rear approach and armpit tow. Lifesaving - Merit Badge Workbook Page. 3 of 9 Lifesaving Scout's Name: ________________________ 14. Discuss with your how to respond if a victim submerges before being reached by a rescuer, and do the following: a. Recover a 10-pound weight in 8 to 10 feet of water using a feet-first surface dive. b. Repeat using a headfirst surface dive. 15. Demonstrate management of a spinal injury to your counselor: a. Discuss the causes, signs, and symptoms of a spinal injury b. Support a face up subject in calm, water of standing depth. c. Turn a subject from a facedown to a face-up position in water of standing depth while maintaining support. 16. Demonstrate knowledge of resuscitation procedures: a. Describe how to recognize the need for rescue breathing and CPR. b. Demonstrate CPR knowledge and skills, including rescue breathing, on a mannequin under the guidance of a current CPR/AED instructor trained by a nationally certified provider.. 17. With your counselor, discuss causes, prevention, and treatment of other injuries or illnesses that could occur while swimming or boating, including hypothermia, dehydration, heat-related illnesses, muscle cramps, sunburn, stings, and hyperventilation. Hypothermia: Dehydration: Heat-related Illnesses: Lifesaving - Merit Badge Workbook Page. 4 of 9 Lifesaving Scout's Name: ________________________ Muscle Cramps: Sunburn: Stings: Hyperventilation: When working on merit badges, Scouts and Scouters should be aware of some vital information in the current edition of the Guide to Advancement (BSA publication 33088). Important excerpts from that publication can be downloaded from http://usscouts.org/advance/docs/GTA-Excerpts-meritbadges.pdf. You can download a complete copy of the Guide to Advancement from http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/33088.pdf. Lifesaving - Merit Badge Workbook Page. 5 of 9 SAFETY AFLOAT Page 1 of 2 BSA groups shall use Safety Afloat for all boating activities. Adult 3. Swimming Ability leaders supervising activities afloat must have completed Safety Operation of any boat on a float trip is limited to youth and Afloat training within the previous two years. Cub Scout activities adults who have completed the BSA swimmer classification afloat are limited to council or district events that do not include test. Swimmers must complete the following test, which moving water or float trips (expeditions). Safety Afloat standards should be administered annually. apply to the use of canoes, kayaks, rowboats, rafts, floating tubes, sailboats, motorboats (including waterskiing), and other small Jump feetfirst into water over the head in depth. Level off craft, but do not apply to transportation on large commercial and swim 75 yards in a strong manner using one or more of vessels such as ferries and cruise ships. Parasailing (being towed the following strokes: sidestroke, breaststroke, trudgen, or airborne behind a boat using a parachute), kitesurfing (using a crawl; then swim 25 yards using an easy, resting backstroke. wakeboard towed by a kite), and recreational use of personal The 100 yards must be completed in one swim without stops watercraft (small sit-on-top motorboats propelled by water jets) are and must include at least one sharp turn. After completing not authorized BSA activities. the swim, rest by floating. Safety Afloat training may be obtained from the BSA Online For activity afloat, those not classified as a swimmer are Learning Center at www.scouting.org, at council summer camps, limited to multiperson craft during outings or float trips on and at other council and district training events. Confirmation of calm water with little likelihood of capsizing or falling training is required on local and national tour permits for trips that overboard. They may operate a fixed-seat rowboat or pedal involve boating. Additional guidance on appropriate skill levels boat accompanied by a buddy who is a swimmer. They may and training resources is provided in the Aquatics Supervision ride in a canoe or other paddle craft with an adult swimmer guide available from council service centers. skilled in that craft as a buddy. They may ride as part of a group on a motorboat or sailboat operated by a skilled adult.