Open Water Lifesaving: The United States Lifesaving Association Manual

Learning aids are provided throughout including references, web sites, and discussion points. New material has been added in several areas, such as aquatic life hazards (shark bites and jellyfish stings), ice rescue, pathophysiology of drowning and sudden immersion syndrome, and junior lifeguard programs. Expanded and updated coverage of OSHA regulations, report forms, incident command, historical material and many other areas have been added to this extensive revision.

Eric Bauer

Lifeguard Captain, Newport Beach, CA.


The United States Lifesaving Association Manual of Open Wate   December 9, 1999
 10 out of 10 found this review helpful

The United States Manual of Open Water Lifesaving is a required text for training all of our seasonal ocean lifeguards. As an Operations Lieutenant for the City of Newport Beach the book has been an invaluable reference with general information, concepts and specific procedural techniques. There are photographs that depict various aspects of modern lifesaving and example report forms. A lifeguard agency or public safety agency that engages in open water rescue is remiss in not having this book for their students and as a reference. Renowned lifeguard experts from around the United States contributed to this excellent book. The book could also have significant impact internationally if a beach had to start a lifguard agency where one does not exist today. If one wants to become a lifeguard, this is a must have text. I am glad that this book exists and am hoping for a new edition that will be even better. Buy it today, you can't go wrong.


The manual ocean lIfeguards have been waiting for.   November 30, 1999
 3 out of 3 found this review helpful

Open Water Lifeguards now have a manual written by veteran lifeguards who have put a lifetime of experience into easily read text. Used in combination with local training plans and protocols the USLA manual provides the supplementary material necessary for the complete training and retraining of open water lifeguards..Chapters on professionalism, the aquatic environment, meteorological considerations, preventative lifeguarding and surveillance, emergency planning and management, lifeguard health and safety and many other related topics provide a depth of training keyed to the open water environment unavailable from any other resource. Appendices providing useful beach management forms, an extensive glossary, surf boat rowing techniques and a thorough index complete usefulness of this valuable reference.

Open water lifeguarding in the 21st century requires thorough preparatory training in techniques and procedures as well as mental and physical conditioning. This manual provides an excellent tool for establishing a training plan that will develop competent lifeguards in accordance with contemporary standards of care emergency management guidelines.

David M. Shotwell, Sr., Beachfront Supervisor, Ocean Grove NJ


USLA Manual Used in Hawaii   November 30, 1999
 6 out of 6 found this review helpful

The USLA Manual of Open Water Lifesaving edited by Chris Brewster is the basic textbook used in the training programs for the following agencies in the State of Hawaii: Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services Division, City and County of Honolulu, Aquatics Division, County of Maui, Water Safety Section, County of Kauai, and the Aquatics Division, County of Hawaii. These agencies are responsible for providing ocean lifeguard services for their respective counties (each Hawaiian Island is considered a county, with Maui County including Molokai and Lanai and Kauai County including the island of Niihau.) All of the mentioned agencies are certified by the USLA under the Agency Certification Program. The USLA Manual of Open Water Lifesaving is the only manual of its kind that addresses the ocean/open water environment and the skills and knowledge essential to become an open water lifeguard. The manual is the result of the collaboration of lifeguards from across the country and provides historical as well as up to date information on open water lifeguarding. Descriptions of environmental conditions that the beach lifeguard will encounter and methods of dealing with these conditions are included in the text, as well as excellent chapters on drowning, prevention, rescues and equipment, and emergency medical treatment. An appendix which includes sample forms used by lifeguard agencies is also a valuable resource for those who administer lifeguard services. The textbook is well written, clearly organized, and serves as the fundamental resource for our agencies in the Hawaiian Islands.