How to Use a Backboard in Water

Lifeguards are certified safety and CPR experts that are trained to safely assist and treat injured swimmers. Accidents that occur in or around water usually result in a person becoming unconscious or injured because someone slips around the edge of the pool or has become fatigued in the water and needs help. A back board is used to help pull a person from the water who has injured his back or neck and may be paralyzed. Using a backboard to remove a victim from the ocean is not recommended and can cause more damage to the head and spine. The backboard can accidentally flip or get taken away by waves near the shoreline.

Instructions

    • 1

      Stand behind the head of the victim and place your hand behind his head to gently support the head above water. Have the other lifeguard retrieve the backboard.

    • 2

      Have one lifeguard stand on the side of the victim, positioning the backboard parallel to the victim's body, while the other lifeguard continues to stabilize the victim's head and neck.

    • 3

      Push the backboard underwater and underneath the victim. Leave enough room for the end of the backboard to reach past the head.

    • 4

      Place a rescue tube underneath the head side of the backboard to keep it afloat. The rescue tube should lie perpendicular to the backboard. Place your a hand on each side of the victim's head to stabilize it while the other lifeguard buckles the straps.

    • 5

      Strap the victim on the backboard by buckling the straps over the victim's body and gently tightening them to secure the victim to the board. Have the other lifeguard connect the straps by inserting the ends of the buckles together. Connect the straps across the chest, hips and legs, and then strap the head strap across the victim's forehead. Gently tighten the straps by pulling on the loose end of the strap.

    • 6

      Float the backboard toward the edge of the pool, using both lifeguards to safely transport the victim. Bring the head side of the board as close to the edge as possible. Gently lift the head side of the backboard onto the edge of the pool. Slowly slide the backboard onto the pool deck.

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