American Lifeguard Practice Exam 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

During an initial assessment of an unconscious victim, the primary focus is on checking for breathing and pulse. This step is critical because it helps determine whether the victim is in need of immediate life-saving interventions.

Assessing breathing involves looking for chest rise and listening for breath sounds, while checking for a pulse confirms whether the heart is still beating. If the victim is not breathing or does not have a pulse, immediate resuscitative measures, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), may be necessary to restore circulation and oxygenation.

While detecting visible injuries, providing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and calling for emergency services are important components of overall emergency response, they are secondary to the crucial task of verifying the victim's vital signs. If the victim requires CPR, priority must be given to that action before other secondary measures are taken.