From scanning the waves to saving lives, a lifeguard’s day is a blend of vigilance, courage, and nonstop action. Whether the challenge of the day is kids or parents, lifeguards face it all. Many assume that a lifeguard’s day is filled with tanning, whistling, and sitting in a chair. While some days are like this, there are plenty of days where life isn’t so sunny.
A lifeguard is born when they complete the grueling training online and in the water. Lifeguards are faced with many different scenarios, and if they cannot handle them with exigency they may not be fit for the job. Once a lifeguard is born, they are immediately thrown into action. They start their shift off with chores that range from cleaning to landscaping to dealing with chemicals to handling whatever animal comes our way. It’s safe to say lifeguards sign up for a lot more than just sitting in a chair.
Eventually, it is time to make our way into our lifeguard chairs as families upon families file into the pool deck. Every freshly cleaned chair is taken up, and once the whistles blow, the action really starts. Children scream and splash while the lifeguard makes sure everyone is safe. Every fifteen minutes, the lifeguards rotate to a new position filled with all kinds of patrons, and this routine continues with two full pool breaks in between until the end of the day, when the lifeguards blow the whistle for the last time and clear the pool deck.
However, some days don’t go exactly like this. Some days, there is an emergency that needs to be handled with precise action. In the case of a drawing victim, lifeguards blow their whistle to signal to other lifeguards that someone is in trouble and they are going in. Once the lifeguard has reached the victim, they perform the correct maneuver in order to make a clean, quick save. After a save is completed, there comes the paperwork, but high-stakes moments like these remind lifeguards why we do what we do.
Finally, closing chores begin: ranging from sweeping to more chemical cleaning. You never really know what to expect while doing chores. Being a lifeguard means being prepared for the unexpected, rising to every challenge, and knowing that at the end of the day, you make a difference. Keeping people safe is never a task done in vain.
Image source: https://www.madisoncommunitycenter.com/facility/madison-aquatic-center