The Lifesaving Society’s Bronze Medallion Award teaches an understanding of the lifesaving principles embodied in the four components of water rescue education – judgment, knowledge, skill, and fitness.  Rescuers learn tows and carries, and defence and release methods in preparation for rescues of conscious and unconscious victims.  Lifesavers develop stroke efficiency and endurance in a timed swim.

Prerequisite:  Minimum 13 years of age or Bronze Star

H₂O Proficiency

1. *Demonstrate accuracy in throwing buoyant aids.  Throw a distance of 8 m placing the aid within 1 m of the centre of a target three times out of four.

2. *Simulate self-rescue techniques for the following circumstances:

• Ice

• Moving water

• Swamped or capsized boat

3. *Starting in the water, demonstrate 20 m or yd. head-up approach, surface dive to recover a submerged victim or manikin, and return to the starting point using a control carry to support and carry the victim.

4. *Demonstrate three defences from the front, side, and rear and three releases from the front, side, and rear.  Assume a ready position and communicate verbally after each defence or release.

5. *Swim head-up 6 x 25 m or yd. maintaining a consistent pace and work-to-rest ratio.   Check your pulse after the last repeat.

6. *Swim 500 m or 550 yd. in 15 minutes or better using any combination of strokes of the candidate’s choice.

First Aid

7. *Demonstrate rescue breathing and one-rescuer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a manikin, including:

• Adult and child victims

• Complications in resuscitation (e.g. vomiting)

• Adaptations (e.g. mouth-to-nose, stoma)

8. *a)         Simulate the treatment of:

• A conscious adult or child with an obstructed airway

• Complications involving a pregnant woman and a person who is obese

*b)         Simulate the treatment of an unconscious adult or child with an obstructed airway.

9. Demonstrate the appropriate recognition and care of a victim suffering from the following circulatory emergencies:

a) Shock

b) Heart attack or angina

c) External bleeding

d) Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

Recognition & Rescue

10. *Walk around an aquatic environment scene, evaluate the ongoing activities, and where appropriate, model safe aquatic leisure choices.

11. Recover and immobilize a conscious breathing victim with a suspected cervical spinal injury in shallow water.  Demonstrate recovery and immobilization with both a face-up and a face-down victim.  Recruit and direct bystanders to assist.

12. *Perform a logical underwater search of a specified area to maximum depth of 3 m.

13. Perform a non-contact rescue in an aquatic situation designed to emphasize a low-risk rescue, victim care, removals with bystander assistance, and follow-up including contact with EMS.

14. Perform a rescue of a non-breathing victim located in deep water, 5 m from a point of safety.   The situation involves an unsupervised environment and is designed to emphasize victim care, removals with bystander assistance, and follow-up including contact with EMS.

15. Perform a rescue of a distressed or drowning victim in open water, requiring a 20 m or yd. approach and 20 m or yd. return.  The situation is designed to require either a contact or non-contact rescue with emphasis on victim recognition and appropriate care.

*Asterisk indicates instructor-evaluated item.

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