---
title: 5 Parts of a Safe Lifeguard Rotation
description: Describes how lifeguards can safely rotate during their shifts.
---

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# [5 Parts of a Safe Lifeguard Rotation](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/5-parts-of-a-safe-lifeguard-rotation)

 Written by [West Bend Staff](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/author/west-bend-staff) | Oct 27, 2020 8:07:12 PM

Few people outside of the aquatics profession understand how truly exhausting lifeguarding can be. Constant vigilance mixed with environmental elements makes surveillance a chore. To combat both physical and emotional fatigue, guards should be rotated at least every 30 minutes with an additional 10-minute break every hour.

Lifeguard rotations are an important step in keeping guards focused and alert. If done improperly, however, a lifeguard rotation can be the perfect opportunity for a swimmer to slip underwater undetected. Here are the steps to an efficient *and *effective lifeguard rotation.

## 1. Before the Lifeguard Rotation

Before approaching the on-duty lifeguard, the relief lifeguard should:

- Hydrate fully and ensure that they are prepared for duty.
- Ensure that all necessary rescue equipment in their coverage area is easily accessible and in proper working order.
- Scan the entire zone of coverage from bottom to top.

## 2. Initiating the Lifeguard Rotation

After the relief guard has completed all of the steps listed above, they may approach the on-duty lifeguard and initiate the rotation. The following steps should be completed in order to safely initiate a lifeguard rotation:

- The relief lifeguard must actively scan the water while approaching the on-duty lifeguard.
- As the relief guard approaches, the on-duty guard must also maintain constant surveillance of the water.
- The relief lifeguard then verbally activates the lifeguard rotation by asking if the on-duty guard is prepared to rotate.

## 3. Sharing Important Information

If the on-duty lifeguard is prepared to rotate, they officially begin the lifeguard rotation by sharing important information about the area of coverage. *NOTE: While sharing information BOTH lifeguards must actively scan the zone of coverage. *The on-duty lifeguard should:

- Point out any **weak or problematic swimmers**
- Indicate any aquatic surveillance concerns such as glare, strong wind, etc.

## 4. The Actual Lifeguard Rotation

Once all of the preparatory and preventative lifeguard rotations steps have been completed, the lifeguards are ready for the actual rotation. The relief and on-duty lifeguards should keep the following in mind:

- The relief lifeguard becomes the active, on-duty lifeguard as soon as the original guard begins exiting the stand.  This ensures that at least one guard is actively scanning the water at all times.
- The lifeguard that is actively scanning the water must have a rescue tube. Ideally, both lifeguards will have their own rescue tube.
- The original lifeguard once again becomes the on-duty lifeguard as soon as they get off of the stand. They must actively scan the water as the relief guard climbs into position.

## 5. Finalizing the Lifeguard Rotation

The relief lifeguard finalizes the lifeguard rotation by:

- Actively scanning the zone of coverage once they are comfortably situated in the stand.
- Verbally indicating to the original lifeguard that they are now prepared to become the on-duty lifeguard.

Once the relief lifeguard has officially taken over surveillance of the zone of coverage, the original lifeguard should actively scan the water while transitioning to their next station.

[View full post](https://www.thesilverlining.com/safety-tips/5-parts-of-a-safe-lifeguard-rotation)

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