American Red Cross Lifeguarding Practice Test 2026 – Complete Exam Prep

In bag-valve-mask resuscitation, having two rescuers share the task makes ventilation most effective. One rescuer focuses on opening the airway and keeping a tight mask seal, using the appropriate airway maneuver (like a jaw thrust or head tilt as needed) and the two-person mask technique to ensure the seal stays secure and the airway stays open. The other rescuer concentrates on delivering the breaths by squeezing the bag at the correct rate and depth, watching for the chest to rise with each breath.

This division of labor helps maintain continuous, adequate ventilation while the airway is being managed, and it supports better overall resuscitation quality, especially during CPR where minimizing interruptions is important. While a single rescuer can operate the device alone, it’s harder to keep a good seal and provide effective breaths at the same time, which is why the two-rescuer role split described here is the preferred approach.