Anybody ever been a beach lifeguard?

[Tiggeroo]

My son will be trying out in a couple of weeks. Seems tough. I've encouraged him to do it. Then I start thinking that maybe it's a kind of risky job. And what would happen if you were unable to save somebody. How would you feel. Well, I"m still wishing him luck on the try-outs.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

well good luck to your son...
i had thought about being a lifeguard last summer but i was thinking the same things you did! but if your son wants it, i hiope he g ets it

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Well my son just passed the regular lifeguard class and that was grueling enough. He is 16, 6 foot, works out on the weight bench etc. I think for the ocean, you must really be a STRONG swimmer. The rules for the testing is different and I think around here the minimum age is 17 for the ocean. I will be happy if he gets a regular lifeguard job. I sent his resume to one place already but no luck yet. I will try another one for him tues. The pay of course is more etc.

 

[minniepumpernickel]

Yes, I guarded a beach when I was in high school! I loved it, I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

I had to save a small child, who got caught out in the strong surf. Doing it was just like using instinct.

I'm sure your son will do very well.!

 

[Tiggeroo]

My son is a surfer and a distance runner so he has the athletic ability to do it. He's also been spending alot of time at the gym and the indoor pool doing laps. He's hoping that by next week he can get some swim time in the ocean without a wetsuit. Yes, there is alot more testing around here for beach then ocean. But beach patrol is popular and there are always more people trying out then get the spots. Plus the pay is set by the city budget. Pools are desperate for guards. And not so many people want this job. The pay for pool jobs is more then for beach patrol now.

 

[minniepumpernickel]

Originally posted by Tiggeroo
My son is a surfer and a distance runner so he has the athletic ability to do it. He's also been spending alot of time at the gym and the indoor pool doing laps. He's hoping that by next week he can get some swim time in the ocean without a wetsuit. Yes, there is alot more testing around here for beach then ocean. But beach patrol is popular and there are always more people trying out then get the spots. Plus the pay is set by the city budget. Pools are desperate for guards. And not so many people want this job. The pay for pool jobs is more then for beach patrol now.

The worst incident that I've ever seen happen in a pool was when a large man went down a slide in 3ft. of water head first. He got a nasty cut on his head, after hitting bottom, that bled a lot. He was okay though.

It seemed really horrific, but it actually wasn't too bad.


Does he lift weights too? That might come in handy!

 

[Tiggeroo]

He lifts weights some, but only low weight high reps. As a distance runner he doesn't want to bulk up. He's more muscular then alot of distance runners because of his surfing. Probably the toughest part of tryouts is going to be the lifeguard boats. Starting tomorrow he can get practice time in a boat. It's also helpful that several other cross country runners are on the beach patrol. And they've all made good employees. I wish I knew how many vacant spots they were going to have this season. Some years you get 50 people trying out for 3 spots.
The test consists of a 1/2 mile ocean swim, which you must do in between 13-30 minutes.
Half mile run in under 3min. 30secs.
Singles row 150yds in the ocean 1-2 minutes.
150yd. surf dash, where you run into surf with rescue can 2-21/2 minutes.
Even though these are required times each is counted as a percent of your score and the better your time the better your score.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Wow, good luck to your son, I know there is no way my ds could do all of that right now. I will be happy with his pool job if and when he gets one. The next place I am trying for him is a 55 plus condo place. That sounds pretty sedate for a first job. The other one was a townhouse place with various ages.

 

[Tiggeroo]

luvmarypoppins


Around here there is a company that handles placement of alot of the pool lifeguards. They have more then enough openings. Perhaps by you there is something similar.

 

[katerkat]

*eek* I wouldn't want to. I guarded for four years, and I would only do pools. I think because I can see into pools if someone is underwater - it's much harder to determine that at a beach! (And, heck, guarding at Blizzard Beach was hard enough!)