

Revised January 2019
* Your counselor may accept recent training in CPR by a recognized agency as completion of this requirement only if he or she feels your skills are satisfactory and need no additional reinforcement.
Lifesaving Worksheet
Requirements for the Lifesaving merit badge:
- Before doing requirements 2 through 17
- Complete Second Class rank requirements 5a through 5d and First Class rank requirements 6a, 6b, and 6e.
Second Class rank requirements 5a through 5d:
(5a) Tell what precautions must be taken for a safe swim.
(5b) Demonstrate your ability to pass the BSA beginner test. Jump feetfirst into water over your head in depth, level off and swim 25 feet on the surface, stop, turn sharply, resume swimming, then return to your starting place.
(5c) Demonstrate water rescue methods by reaching with your arm or leg, by reaching with a suitable object, and by throwing lines and objects.
(5d) Explain why swimming rescues should not be attempted when a reaching or throwing rescue is possible. Explain why and how a rescue swimmer should avoid contact with the victim.
First Class rank requirements 6a, 5b, and 6e:
(6a) Successfully complete the BSA swimmer test.
(6b) Tell what precautions should be taken for a safe trip afloat.
(6e) With a helper and a practice victim, show a line rescue both as tender and as rescuer. (The practice victim should be approximately 30 feet from shore in deep water). - 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.
- Complete Second Class rank requirements 5a through 5d and First Class rank requirements 6a, 6b, and 6e.
- Discuss and review with your counselor the principles of BSA Safe Swim Defense.
- Explain the following:
- Common drowning situations and how to prevent them.
- How to identify persons in the water who need assistance.
- The order of methods in water rescue.
- How rescue techniques vary depending on the setting and the condition of the person needing assistance.
- Situations for which in-water rescues should not be undertaken.
- Demonstrate "reaching" rescues using various items such as arm, leg, towels, shirts, paddles, and poles.
- Demonstrate "throwing" rescues using various items such a line, buoy, rescue bag, and free-floating support. Successfully place at least one such aid within reach of a practice victim 25 feet from shore.
- 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.
- List various items that can be used as aids in a "go" rescue. Explain why buoyant aids are preferred.
- Correctly demonstrate rescues of 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.
- Present one aid to a subject, release it, and swim at a safe distance as the subject moves to safety.
- In a separate rescue, present the other aid to a subject and use it to tow the subject to safety.
- 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.
- Discuss with your counselor the importance of avoiding contact with an active subject and demonstrate lead-and-wait techniques.
- Perform the following nonequipment 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 condition and to provide instructions and encouragement.
- Perform an armpit tow for a calm, responsive, tired swimmer resting with a back float.
- Perform a cross-chest carry for an exhausted, responsive subject treading water.
- 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.
- 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 him to determine his condition before making contact. Quickly remove the victim from the water, with assistance if needed, and position for CPR.
- Perform an equipment assist using a buoyant aid.
- Perform a front approach and wrist tow.
- Perform a rear approach and armpit tow.
- Discuss with your counselor how to respond if a victim submerges before being reached by a rescuer, and do the following:
- Recover a 10-pound weight in 8 to 10 feet of water using a feetfirst surface dive.
- Repeat using a headfirst surface dive.
- Demonstrate knowledge of resuscitation procedures:
- Describe how to recognize the need for rescue breathing and CPR.
- Demonstrate CPR knowledge and skills, including rescue breathing, consistent with current guidelines.*
- Demonstrate management of a spinal injury to your counselor:
- Discuss the causes, signs, and symptoms of a spinal injury.
- Support a face up subject in calm, shallow water of standing depth.
- Turn a subject from a facedown to a faceup position in water of standing depth while maintaining support.
- 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.
* Your counselor may accept recent training in CPR by a recognized agency as completion of this requirement only if he or she feels your skills are satisfactory and need no additional reinforcement.
Lifesaving Worksheet
Comments:
Jun 04, 2014 - Josh Haslam
I have a Question about the lifesaving merit badge.
Are the scouts required to have their Swimming and First ad Merit Badges done for they perssue lifesaving??
Thanks,
Josh
Jun 04, 2014 - Scouter Paul@Josh - All the requirements are listed above. I believe you will find no merit badge that requires the completion of a prior merit badge.
There are also no minimum age limits for any merit badges.
Scouter Paul
Jun 21, 2014 - Nicholas HelockI was always wondering, why is it that this merit badge is always considered impossible? Many people in my troop and prior troops have failed to complete this merit badge.
Jun 23, 2014 - Scouter Paul@Nicholas - I've not heard it called 'impossible'. We've had many scouts earn it at summer camp.
Jun 29, 2014 - Scout Jason@Scouter Paul - First Aid MB is a prerequisite to earning Emergency Preparedness MB.
Also, Lifesaving MB requirements are designed for 12-14yo scouts.
Jul 27, 2014 - Scouts momMy son is working as a lifeguard this summer for the Park District and had to get certified (25 hours of training)
Does this count at all for this badge???
Aug 14, 2014 - Scout JWDoes the taking American Red Cross Guard Start class meet the requirement for this merit badge?
Nov 09, 2014 - Scouter Paul@mom and @JW - There is no requirement in this merit badge that references any other organization's certification. For a scout to earn this merit badge, he demonstrates the skills to the merit badge counselor. Just working as a lifeguard or taking an ARC class does not fulfill the requirements, but would most likely help the scout learn how to do many of the skills listed in this merit badge.
The merit badge counselor may accept completion of some relevant requirements by speaking with the lifeguard's employer or instructor to verify that the skills were demonstrated - that is up to the individual counselor.
Nov 01, 2019 - Reece LynchIf my son swam in the YMCA for many years and is getting ready
to take the life guard test, can many of the requirements count
towards the lifesaving badge?
Nov 01, 2019 - Scouter Paul@Reece - Your son's Lifesaving merit badge counselor can discuss
with your son which specific requirements could be fulfilled as
part of his YMCA life guard test.
In general, if a scout just tells a merit badge counselor something like "oh yeah, I did this and this and this requirement already" then that past claimed activity will not be counted.
Please see the comments and replies above yours.
Jan 05, 2020 - JoelIn general, if a scout just tells a merit badge counselor something like "oh yeah, I did this and this and this requirement already" then that past claimed activity will not be counted.
Please see the comments and replies above yours.
Hey, I have a question. Does completing
thus merrit bage enable me to work as a
lifegard or do I still need to take the
lifegard certification test. Thanks
Jan 05, 2020 - Scouter Paul@Joel - It's up to the company you work for to decide what
skills are required. Completing this merit badge would
certainly be a good start at developing skills, but I expect
more formal "certification" training would be required in most
cases.
The BSA Lifeguard award includes many of these same skills and is comparable to the Red Cross Lifeguard training. It is more likely to count for employment.
Mar 05, 2020 - BillThe BSA Lifeguard award includes many of these same skills and is comparable to the Red Cross Lifeguard training. It is more likely to count for employment.
@Scouter Paul, just to clarify, when it says requirements are
designed for 12-14 year olds, an 11 year old that is a strong
swimmer could still earn this merit badge per your other comment
that there are no minimum age limits for any merit badges
Jul 15, 2020 - Jeff@Scouter Paul, let me add that sometimes there are some off-book requirements due to logistics or legal reasons.
#1: Whitewater. At one summer camp, thy had a requirement that Canoeing was required. The MB does require proficiency in canoes or kayaks. The camp used canoes for the MB and wanted to ensure the limited time spent was teaching Whitewater and not Canoeing.
#2: Motorboating. I have seen age limits on this because of legal reasons. Some jurisdictions have minimum age requirements to operate a motorized watercraft.
#3: Welding. I have seen many MB workshops for this one with a minimum age, usually 15. I suspect this is for liability reasons at the location offering the MB.
Jul 15, 2020 - Scouter Paul#1: Whitewater. At one summer camp, thy had a requirement that Canoeing was required. The MB does require proficiency in canoes or kayaks. The camp used canoes for the MB and wanted to ensure the limited time spent was teaching Whitewater and not Canoeing.
#2: Motorboating. I have seen age limits on this because of legal reasons. Some jurisdictions have minimum age requirements to operate a motorized watercraft.
#3: Welding. I have seen many MB workshops for this one with a minimum age, usually 15. I suspect this is for liability reasons at the location offering the MB.
@Jeff - Two of your points are not "off-book"...
For Whitewater m.b., either Canoeing or Kayaking m.b. is a prerequisite stated in the requirements. For Motorboating, requirement 4a ensures the scout has a permit before running the boat.
For Welding, there is no minimum age so that is not required by the BSA. But, any time an outside provider is used for presenting merit badge experience, they certainly may have safety guidelines for participants that are more restrictive than the BSA's. Another example could be the Red Cross's minimum age of 14 to participate in a Wilderness & Remote First Aid course if some scout wanted to use that for the First Aid merit badge.
For Whitewater m.b., either Canoeing or Kayaking m.b. is a prerequisite stated in the requirements. For Motorboating, requirement 4a ensures the scout has a permit before running the boat.
For Welding, there is no minimum age so that is not required by the BSA. But, any time an outside provider is used for presenting merit badge experience, they certainly may have safety guidelines for participants that are more restrictive than the BSA's. Another example could be the Red Cross's minimum age of 14 to participate in a Wilderness & Remote First Aid course if some scout wanted to use that for the First Aid merit badge.

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