Bronze Cross

Bronze Cross (18-20 hr.): Designed for lifesavers who want the challenge of more advanced training including an introduction to safe supervision in aquatic facilities. Bronze Cross is a prerequisite for all advanced training programs including National Lifeguard and Instructor certification. Includes a timed 600 m swim.

Bronze Cross is recognized as an Assistant Lifeguard certificate.

Prerequisite: Bronze Medallion (need not be current). Emergency First Aid will become an additional prerequisite as of January 1, 2019.

Instruction & certification: Current Lifesaving Instructors evaluate most items, but only Bronze Examiners may certify candidates. The Lifesaving Society deems its certifications to be "current" for 24 months from the certification date.

Candidate recognition: Bronze Cross medal, Bronze Cross Award crest, certification card.

Required reference material: Canadian Lifesaving Manual. Bronze Cross Workbook recommended.

* Asterisk indicates instructor-evaluated item.

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Bronze Cross

At-a-glance

  1. *Starting on a deck, dock, or beach, demonstrate an entry and swim a 50 m or yd. head-up approach with a shoulder loop and line or rescue tube to a passive victim or manikin, and then tow the victim 50 m or yd. to safety.
  2. *Swim head-up for two sets of 6 x 25 m or yd. while maintaining a consistent pace and work-to-rest ratio. Rest for 1 minute between sets. Check your pulse after the last repeat in each set.
  3. *Swim 600 m or 650 yd. in 18 minutes or better using any combination of strokes of the candidate's choice.
  4. *Demonstrate primary assessment of a conscious victim and an unconscious victim, including:
    • Level of consciousness
    • Airway
    • Breathing
    • Circulation
    • Major bleeding
    • Mechanism of injury
    Demonstrate secondary assessment of a victim, including:
    • Vital signs
    • Head-to-toe survey
    • History
  5. *Demonstrate rescue breathing and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a manikin, including:
    • Adult, child, and infant victims
    • Complications in resuscitation (e.g., vomiting)
    • Adaptations (e.g., mouth-to-nose, stoma)
  6. Demonstrate two-rescuer adult, child, and infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a manikin.
  7. * a) Simulate the treatment of a conscious adult or child with an obstructed airway. * b) On a manikin, demonstrate the treatment of a conscious infant with an obstructed airway. * c) Simulate the treatment of an unwitnessed unconscious adult, child, or infant with an unobstructed airway.
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  9. *Demonstrate the care and treatment of a victim suffering from hypothermia.
  10. *Walk an aquatic environment scene, evaluate the ongoing activities, and demonstrate how to educate peers about safe aquatic leisure choices. Evaluate and correct, where appropriate, hazardous conditions in unsupervised areas.
  11. Recover and immobilize a face-down breathing victim with a suspected cervical spinal injury found in deep water. Transport to shallow water. Recruit and direct a trained bystander to assist. Demonstrate the ability to manage vomiting while maintaining immobilization.
  12. *Using bystanders, organize a logical underwater search of an area with both shallow and deep water to maximum depth of 3 metres.
  13. Perform a rescue involving two or more victims. One victim requires rescuer assistance, while the other victim(s) can follow directions for self-rescue and assist as bystanders once at the point of safety. The situation is designed to emphasize communication skills, victim care, removals, and follow-up including contact with EMS.
  14. Perform a rescue of a submerged, non-breathing, and pulseless victim. The situation is designed to emphasize victim care, removal, and follow-up including contact with EMS.
  15. *Perform a rescue of an injured victim in a situation in which there are two rescuers. The rescue requires a 50 m or yd. approach and a 50 m or yd. return. The situation is designed to emphasize either contact or non-contact rescues, victim care, removals, and follow-up including contact with EMS.
  16. Perform a rescue of a victim suffering injuries or conditions in a situation that emphasizes rescuer response to deteriorating circumstances and requires the use of bystanders. The rescue requires a 20 m or yd. approach and a 20 m or yd. return.