Participants enrolled in the Rookie Patrol program from the Lifesaving Society will strengthen basic rescue skills, knowledge and swimming endurance. This program is designed to give candidates a program beyond the basic learn-to-swim classes. The swim patrol program, designed by the Lifesaving Society of Canada, has three level’s with Rookie Patrol being the beginning level. This course helps develop swim strokes and provides a strong skill foundation preparing candidates for the Bronze program.

Water Proficiency

Candidates in this course are required to complete the following water proficiency components to complete the course:

• A 25 meter head up front crawl of breaststroke
• Demonstrate reverse and ready positioning in a skull for 30 seconds.
• Carry a 5 pound object 15 meters in any direction.
• Demonstrate a head first or foot first surface dive to a depth of no greater than 2 meters.
• Demonstrate a legs only swim of 25 meters using any kick and going any direction.
• Effectively inflate two items of clothing and use a buoyant aid.
• Effectively swim under a obstacle during a 25 meter swim.
• Swim all four major strokes at a distance of 50 meters each.
• Complete a workout of 350 meters swimming on at least 3 different occasions throughout the course.
• Swim 100 meters in 3 minutes or better.

First Aid Component

Participants enrolled in Rookie Patrol will have to will learn basic first aid and CPR skills including:

• The first aid primary assessment of conscious and cooperative patients.
• Demonstrating the ability to recognize when and how to call the emergency medical system (EMS).
• Demonstrating the recognition and care of patients with external bleeding.

Recognition and Rescue:

Participants of the Rookie Patrol Program will learn different recognition and rescue components including:

• Looking and describing a aquatic facility.
• The ability to simulate and recognize weak swimmers and non swimmers.
• The ability to throw a buoyant aid, from a standing position on land, and hit a target as many times as possible in 30 second.

Knowledge learned in this course will help keep candidates prepared and safe in almost any aquatic environment.