Lifeguard counting?

[tinkandonaldfans]

Just got back from the beach club and we noticed that the lifeguards did a weird counting thing, it didn't make sense as to why or what they are doing! I thought they were counting the inner tubes but my dh thought they were doing something else. They did very frequently, anyone know what they are doing and why?

 

[WicketsMom]

We noticed the same thing at All Star Sports a couple of weeks ago. Not sure what exactly they were doing.

 

[Aaeolien]

I am sure it's a method to keep track of the number of people in their particular area.

 

[Mousemommy1]

I believe they are visually dividing their area up into sections to make sure they don't miss a spot.

 

[HM]

The PP is right. They have to separate their area into sections and monitor each of them, they use their hands to signal to themselves that they've covered each area before moving on to the next. In each area they are making sure that there aren't any people on the bottom of the pool or in distress. This is often done as they are switching positions at the pool, so the new person knows that they are coming to an area without problems.

 

[msjprincess]

I noticed it too on our trip. It appeared that they only did it while changing shifts. I'm wondering if this is something new. I never noticed it before.

 

[Disney2013Girl]

I used to lifeguard (although not for Disney) and I came with my own system to "engage" my brain as I was scanning/counting. I often noted that other guards do the same thing.

As a guard you are constantly counting and scanning areas to make sure that no one has gone missing. Additionally, there are body language cues that you learn to read that signal distress before it's an emergency situation. Even with all of that constant scanning and processing, your brain can go into auto-drive (think: road hypnosis on a long drive down a boring highway) so you come up with tricks and, for lack of a better word, games to keep you alert.

 

[cobright]

As was mentioned in a recent thread, Disney lifeguards have really impressed me. One particular behavior I see displayed really well at WDW resorts is the Sit-Stand-Stroll posture rotation. They are constantly changing up angles and viewpoints while scanning the pool.

I asked the guard about the counting last time and he said it was less about achieving an accurate count of the number of swimmers than a technique to ensure he puts his eyes on each swimmer.

 

[vikster1]

I noticed the counting at CSR back in April. It was being done frequently.

 

[robinstrip]

wrong thread

 

[Katelly]

I noticed this at our local water park this past summer. Haven't been to WDW in a while so I haven't seen the lifeguards there doing it yet. Someone told me that the lifeguards are sort of dividing the pool into sections or grids and checking each grid. Some of them just seem to move their heads up and down as they scan a grid, others use there hands. It's quite interesting to watch.

 

[Nancyg56]

I first noticed the lifeguards doing this at POFQ a few years ago. It was cold, there were not many swimmers, and yet these vigilant guards never took eyes off of the pool, and they never stopped moving. It was impressive.

I very seldom take eyes off of my DGD when she is in a pool even though she is a strong swimmer, but last year at SAB, it was impossible to always see her. I felt more at ease though, because of the coverage the lifeguards had at the pool.