Evidence-Based Standards in Lifesaving: The Conclusions of the United States Lifeguard Standards Coalition

Abstract

Lifesaving programs and organizations throughout the world operate under standards and guidelines. These standards and guidelines have been developed over the years by various methods, including trial and error, expert opinion, tradition, and inference from related fields. Few appear to be based upon objective experimentation and research. The goal of the United States Lifeguard Standards Coalition, a collaborative effort of the American Red Cross, the United States Lifesaving Association, and the YMCA of the USA, was to research, identify, and promote evidence-based standards for lifeguarding and water rescue.