Becoming a lifeguard requires that you are mature and
respectful at the same time. It takes a lot of patience dealing with people who
seem to not be aware of the safety precautions that you do in the workplace.
The good news is that you can always learn from these things. You will be able
to develop the necessary skills for the job and be able to deal with both young
and old individuals who want to have fun in the pool area on in the beach.
Lifeguard Rules
If you are going to be a lifeguard, it is a good idea that
you know exactly how to impose the rules. If the rule says that you shouldn’t
be running around the pool area, it is imperative that you talk to the people
who are running around and horsing around and explain to them the possible repercussions
of doing such activity in the pool area.
Know how to talk to different people
Next, you also have to understand that different people have
different maturity levels. You will need to be able to adjust to them. You can
still be firm imposing the rules, but it is in the manner how you say things.
This is the difference that it usually makes. You have to understand that you
can talk to people differently and not sound offensive at the same time.
Always be friendly
You also want to be approachable as a lifeguard. People in
the pool area should have confidence in you and should feel that they could
rely on you. It is important to smile and let everyone know that they are
welcome in the pool area.
Know basic first aid, CPR/AED
There are a lot of things that could happen in the
workplace. You need to be confident how you provide first aid. You need to make
sure that you are always reviewing on your own in order to have the confidence
to carry out first aid in different situations. You also need to know how to
assess the severity of the injury and know exactly when should you be calling
the help of medical experts.
Staying in shape
You have to stay in shape. In order to get the respect of
people going to the pool, the least that you can do is to stay in shape. A lot
of lifeguards make the mistake of not eating right or not training consistently
only to find themselves in trouble if they can’t respond fast enough to a
problem. You want to always workout and assess your ability to swim and even
rescue another person out of the pool.
Taking your job seriously is part of maturity as a
lifeguard. You have to understand that a lot of lifeguards don’t exhibit this.
If you want to maintain your job for quite some time, then it is always a good
idea that you do these tips that we have covered. You will be able to grow into
the profession in doing so.
When you are a lifeguard, sun exposure
comes in the territory. That said, here are some tips regarding Sun Safety for
Lifeguards.
The
Dangers of Over-Exposure
A
day in the life of a lifeguard mostly involves standing
in the heat of the sun as you enjoy the ocean breeze. It may sound appealing
enough. After all, who wouldn’t want to take in the sun from time to time,
right?
However, people seem to forget that too
much exposure to the sun’s rays can cause serious problems down the road. Lifeguards,
as one would expect, are regularly exposed to high levels of solar radiation. That
is why we are not exaggerating when we say that lifeguards are more prone to
develop skin cancer compared to the general population.
This correlation is backed-up by several
scientific studies conducted. In fact, it has been shown that poor sunscreen
habits among young adults and teens have led to an increased propensity for
skin-related diseases. One can only imagine if they did a comprehensive study
on the lifeguard population. That being said, when it comes to serious
illnesses like cancer, prevention is surely better than any cure.
Protecting
Yourself
As a lifeguard, you need to understand that
these are real risks that you have to deal with. The best thing you can do is
to have your bases covered and ensure that your skin is well taken care of
despite the constant exposure to the sun. Presented below are just some of the
things you can do.
Wear a Hat – This may seem
simple enough, however, it is of vital importance that you choose a hat that
gives your head optimal protection. You may be tempted to choose a typical
baseball cap as an accessory but we would strongly advise you to reconsider.
This is because its design is severely limited. Those kinds of hats are only
designed to keep the sun out of your eyes but it leaves your neck severely
exposed to the sun’s heat and rays. Instead, we recommend a wide-brimmed hat
that offers a more complete shade.
Make Full Use of Sunscreen – For
starters, you should understand that there are actually several kinds of
sunscreen. This means that you cannot expect them to be equally effective. To
be more precise, sunscreens vary depending on the kind of outdoor exposure.
For instance, incidental
sun exposure requires only a sunscreen with the sun protection factor (SPF) of
15. This is often used for moments when you are outside for minutes at a time.
Typically, these can filter out as much as 93 percent of the sun’s ultraviolet
radiation. On the other hand, lifeguards are typically exposed to intense
levels of UV radiation for extended periods of time. A sunscreen with 15 SPF
simply would not do the job. You should go with a sunscreen with no less than a
30 SPF rating.
In addition to this, we
recommend that you make full use of what is called a broad spectrum sunscreen.
This means that it can protect you from both ultraviolet A (UVA) and
ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. It would also be great if your sunscreen was
water-resistant.
Make sure to keep these in mind the next
time you are out on lifeguard duty!
There are a lot of people today who are looking for a
direction in their career. If you are young and if you love swimming, it is a
good idea that you go for a lifeguard position. Being a lifeguard can be a good
thing. There are a number of benefits that it can do. Here are some of the
things why you should consider becoming one.
Plenty of jobs available
There are plenty of jobs available if you want to become a lifeguard. The truth is that there are a lot of opportunities waiting for you. You can easily get a job at your local pool or you can also get hired as a lifeguard by a resort. You can get different opportunities considering the fact that there are a lot of people who don’t know how to swim and who could easily need your help. You can even work as a PE teacher or a swimming teacher at a school and be a lifeguard at the same time.
Lifeguard Training Save Lives
Another reason why you should become a lifeguard is the fact that you can save a lot of people’s lives. This means that you can easily have the satisfaction that you saved a person’s life from drowning. Could you imagine a child without a lifeguard? You could easily feel good by keeping everyone safe especially those people who don’t really know how to swim. Lifeguard training classes are available in all 50 states. Lifeguard a lifeguard certification class near you.
Be able to swim
A lot of lifeguards are good swimmers. In fact, there are
those lifeguards who enjoy the water and are willing to do things for free. If
you are going to be a lifeguard, you can easily get to enjoy the water every
now and then. This means that you can also stay fit and do your regular workouts.
And once a lot of people are present in the water, you can now go to your
station.
Stress-free work
How many times should you be rescuing a child or someone who
is drowning? In reality, you are not always going to encounter these things.
You can simply just watch people and remind them to behave properly while they
are in the pool. In reality, this is a stress-free job.
In addition to this, a lot of lifeguards don’t do it
full-time. There are those who are just doing it for a couple of hours. This
means that it is the perfect job opportunity especially if you just want to
earn some extra cash. However, there are also those companies that will need to
hire a lifeguard on a full-time basis.
Lifeguards learn new things
As a lifeguard, you will be able to learn a lot of things. For instance, though you swim good, a lot of lifeguards don’t know how to rescue a person out of the water when they started. Also, a lot of them don’t know how to perform CPR. These are some of the basics that you will be doing if you are going to be a lifeguard. Your employer will most likely pay for your training to become one.
There are a lot of people today who are looking to become a
lifeguard. Should you become a lifeguard? Before you even make the decision, it
is a good idea that you know the regular routine of a lifeguard is. Here, you
will have a better understanding of what it takes to be one and if it really
fits your personality and your training. So what happens when you are a
lifeguard?
First, you have to stay sharp. You can’t go to work and not
have the focus that you need in order to watch people around you swim. The
least that you can do is to have the motivation to work. You just can’t run out
of focus because the moment someone dies in your shift, you are the one who is
going to be in trouble.
Next, you also have to stay in shape at all times. The
reason why you have to stay in shape is the fact that you don’t want to be the
one who loses his or her cardio and end up being the one who has to be saved.
You will also have to consider the fact that you should be doing your practice
every now and then. Be sure that you are able to do the proper form in rescuing
another person and be able to swim fast.
Another thing that a lot of lifeguards do is that they
usually train and even lift weights. This can help supplement their training
and help them develop the muscles needed for swimming. What you have to
understand is that lifting weights doesn’t always make you bulky. In fact, it
can help you achieve better performance and this is also true in swimming.
For lifeguards, they should be able to also know how to
perform first aid. And this means that you shouldn’t just know CPR. There are
other injuries that can occur in the area where you are working as a lifeguard.
For instance, someone could actually slip. You need to know how to assess the
situation and call 911 if you have to. Keep in mind that the goal of the
lifeguard is to make sure that the person is receiving first aid medical
attention even before the medical workers arrived.
Next, another routine that is usually part of a lifeguard’s
life is that he or she is most likely always looking for possible areas that
could injure people who swim in the pool or at the beach. You will be surprised
by the number of things a lifeguard could spot.
If you are planning to be a lifeguard, you will have to be
dedicated to the lifestyle of keeping your body in good shape. You need to eat
and sleep right in order to be able to perform the work as a lifeguard. In
reality, it isn’t really for everyone. As much as possible, it is really a job
for physically fit individuals. And for this reason, it is usually a job for
younger individuals. It is usually something that people in their 20s tend to
do.
Becoming a lifeguard today can be a good thing because it
offers a number of perks. For one, you can actually have a good pay considering
how relaxed the job is. You are not actually saving another person every time.
And for a lot of people, the relaxed state of the day to day operations in the
workplace is already enough reason to get a license. However, you have to
remember that lifeguards can also be in trouble if they weren’t able to save
someone from circumstances that they are trained to avoid.
There are two types of lifeguards today. One, you have the one that looks after beach goers aka beach lifeguard. Next, you can also be a lifeguard looking after those people swimming in a pool area aka regular lifeguard. You want to make sure that you know the difference between beaches and a pool area. So what are the things that you should watch out for?
Easy to Spot the Deep Spot
If you want to prevent drowning, you need to be aware of
where the deep part of the water is. Unfortunately, if you are going to watch
people swim on a beach, it can get a bit tricky. Unlike a pool that has been
labeled for you, you will have to be more conscious if you are a lifeguard on a
beach. You will never exactly know where the deep part is even if it is just
near the shore. You also have to be conscious of the fact that there are those
people who tend to go far and end up to be drowned by the waves.
Cardio
If you are going to be a lifeguard, good cardio is always a
must. However, if you are going to watch people swimming on a beach, you need
to be extra confident with your swimming skills and your ability to swim in
long distance. You will also have to take into account the fact that it becomes
harder to swim when you are in the sea mainly because of the waves.
Flotation device
If you are a lifeguard in a beach setting, you will have to be prepared. You will also need to have your own flotation device in order to rescue another person out of the water. You have to consider the fact that it is a dangerous thing to go into the water without any flotation device mainly because you can never predict the waves and even the depth of the water. In some instances, you will need to have a standby jet-ski in order to get to the drowning person faster. And also, there are instances when you will have to rescue more than one person who is drowning.
If you are someone who is new to the job, it is a good idea that you stick to pools rather than beaches. You will have an easier time implementing the rules in a limited space than on a beach. You will have the opportunity to hone your skills and build on your confidence in a pool setting.
There are 3 types of lifeguard training classes, there is
New York City is a hotspot for lifeguard training classes, facilities, and job opportunities. There is no shortage of indoor pools, community outdoor pools, and beaches on the island and islands nearby. Whether you’re in Nassau County, Freeport, Suffolk County, or in Queens, there are available class locations near you.
Why are their so many locations for lifeguard classes? We believe this is a rewarding and incredibly in-demand career that everyone should have access to. Plus, every neighborhood has a community pool that needs a lifeguard to keep swimmers safe. These classes teach water safety and lifeguarding because our communities depend on it.
List of areas that lifeguard training classes are offered:
Astoria, Queens, Upper East Side, Long Island, The Hamptons, Brooklyn, Lower East Side, Brooklyn Heights, Manhattan, Tribeca, SoHo, Greenwich Village, Chelsea, Upper West Side, Hoboken, Nassau County, Suffolk County, Bronx, and Staten Island.
We are also part of an organization that
builds lifeguarding programs and curriculums all over the country. If you spend
more time outside the city, consider signing up for classes in one of these available class locations
outside New York City:
Buffalo, New York, Burlington, Vermont, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, Florida, Miami, Florida, Orlando, Florida
If you’re interested in signing up for
lifeguard classes in any of these locations, simply attend an information night
at your local participating pool or complex. The team of lifeguards and program
creators does regular information
sessions in each participating city so that you can get a better idea of what’s
in store.
These orientation nights inform guests of all the rewards becoming a lifeguard can bring, how it improves your health, and how it nourishes your soul by being able to help (and even save!) others. We always start with an informal icebreaker game to get to know everyone, followed by serving coffee, tea, and snacks. The team will go through the presentation for you and discuss their experiences in the industry. Many started as summer job lifeguards!
Information sessions are free, but we ask that you RSVP via our Contact Page to let us know you’ll be attending.
To enroll in a beginner, intermediate, or
advanced class, please speak to one of the presenters at the information session
or inquire on our website. Many of the participating facilities we teach at
have further information on classes and how to enroll. To enroll in one of our
online courses, you have to prove you are at the advanced level of lifeguarding
or work your way up through our programs.
Lifeguard certification training is such a rewarding summer job, hobby, and career. We are thrilled to offer classes at so many facilities across all the locations mentioned above. Each location has exceptional pool and classroom facilities to aid in your education and career training.
If you’re living in one of those areas and are interested in which available class locations have courses starting soon, send us a message on our Contact Page.
You’re exploring your career options and
your passions, trying to find some overlap. Isn’t everyone’s goal to have a job
they love? If you love your job, you’ll never work a day in your life, right? Lifeguarding
is one of those types of jobs. There are so many aspects of this position that
make it not only profitable but
enjoyable.
Why
become a lifeguard? Keep reading to find out 5 of the
reasons why this job rocks.
It’s fun!
Whether you’re looking for a summer job or a long-term career, you know you’re going to have fun on the clock. As a lifeguard, you get to monitor the pool or beach from the sidelines while getting a tan. You build relationships with frequent swimmers and get to teach them about water safety. Plus, the relationships you build with the rest of your team are built on mutual respect and support. You’ll always have colleagues to lean on and learn from.
2. It’s rewarding!
You don’t get to save lives in many other jobs. Lifeguarding is one career that serves the community and benefits others. Compassionate and caring individuals often take well to this career path because they feel like they’re making a difference. The first time you save a scared little kid from drowning will change your life and you’ll recognize your life’s purpose. It’s incredibly rewarding.
3. It leads to more opportunities!
Being an experienced and highly trained lifeguard can lead you to further job opportunities. From monitoring the beach to the pool at a tropical resort, the options are endless. There are opportunities in the EMS with water rescues as well as for international government rescues. Your training and acquired skills can prepare you for a life of travel and adventure if you’re willing to work for it.
4. It keeps you healthy!
It’s never a surprise to see a lifeguard with extremely chiseled abs and lean muscles. You have to be physically strong and coordinated to rescue people from the water, especially if there are waves or undercurrent. Staying on top of your physique for your career benefits your health in the long run. You’ll prevent obesity, diabetes, heart disease and a slew of other health issues by maintaining your lifeguard body.
5. It’s a mix of high pressure and low intensity.
You’ve likely seen your community pool’s
lifeguard chilling on a pool chair and seemingly doing nothing. While they are
working by monitoring pool activities, most of the time being a lifeguard is a
relaxed position. However, within a second everything changes and you’re saving
someone’s life. This job goes from 0 to 100 in a millisecond.
Ready to start your lifeguard training? Are you done wondering, “why become a lifeguard?” If the 5 benefits we listed here sound like a dream come true to you, consider enrolling in a lifeguard training course. Whether you have prior experience or not, it’s never too late to follow your passion and start saving lives.
Being a lifeguard is extremely rewarding. Your presence helps people feel safer around an aquatic facility and allows them to enjoy their time knowing that you can act promptly in the case of an emergency. Anyone can become a lifeguard if they pass certain tests and get special certificates that qualify them to recognize and prevent hazardous situations around a swimming pool or any other aquatic facility. They should also be able to manage a dangerous situation by providing first aid until professional medical help arrives.
A lifeguard supervisor is responsible for managing different lifeguards
working in a certain aquatic facility. Your job is to keep an eye on the
newcomers, mentor, train, and assign them to different posts to guarantee that
safety measures are met.
Becoming a Lifeguard Supervisor:
After passing your basic lifeguard training class, you will have to work for some time in order to become more experienced. Real-life situations involve dealing with terrified parents, panicking children, and rebellious teenagers, where your job is to guarantee that everybody is safe and all safety policies are put into action. This is why, every facility needs to have their own Aquatic Solutions.
If you are above the age of 18 and already have your lifeguard
certification, you can become a lifeguard supervisor by getting your First Aid/
CPR certification and Professional Rescuer Certification. These certificates
require passing certain exams that allow you to train and supervise new
lifeguards who are joining your facility.
What is the Job of a Lifeguard Supervisor?
Your main job is to present and manage lifeguard training to new staff
members. This can be really tough if you have a lot of newcomers who don’t know
how to act in a real-life situation. You should be able to provide guidance,
solve problems, and make sure that the new members of your team are comfortable
and ready to work.
New lifeguards will look up to you and observe how you act in a
high-stress environment. It is your job to calm them down and teach them how to
act cool when people are panicking, so they can take the right decisions at the
right time. Lifeguard supervisors are also responsible for monitoring and
maintaining the water quality of a swimming pool. In case of any hazard or danger,
you have the authority to limit access to any aquatic facility until you notify
the management with the current problem.
Maintaining everybody’s safety is one of your biggest responsibilities.
If you feel that one member of your team is unable to perform their job, needs
help or is currently dealing with a stressful situation, you should step in.
You should be able to create harmony among new and old team members while
managing their work/ rest schedules. You can also supervise and manage staff
meetings and special training courses. These will help your staff members gain
the necessary skills that they need while working as lifeguards.
When you are a lifeguard supervisor, everyone depends on you. You should
maintain your focus and make sure that the safety of all patrons is always met.
How our training is the solution to all your aquatic problems
When someone needs immediate care, an untrained person will panic. Panic and the poor decisions it causes are far more likely to end in death. Emergencies cannot be predicted. Training and holding a certification prior to an emergency situation will help you act quickly, in the moment.
Aquatic Solutions aims to save lives. Training under this program provides you to the opportunity to benefit yourself and society. The program will also give you the skill set and the confidence to help people any way you can. There are different benefits you can get from the training program. Unforeseen situation situations can happen anytime.
It’s best to be prepared for them beforehand. Accurately assess the situation and act appropriately, taking into account the different circumstances of the victim and environment. In addition, preparing oneself physically, get into good health and physical condition are also results that can be achieved. People who become exhausted make mistakes of judgment.
This Lifeguard Certification Training program also provides one with the necessary knowledge on how to do critical thinking and fast decision making. Learning this ahead improves reaction time thus resulting to an action taken immediately. Another goal of this program is for the trainee to be more confident in stepping up to help those who are in need. Programs offered are CPR training, first aid, and operation of Automatic External Defibrillators.
It’s best to be prepared for them beforehand. Accurately assess the situation and act appropriately, taking into account the different circumstances of the victim and environment. In addition, preparing oneself physically, get into good health and physical condition are also results that can be achieved. People who become exhausted make mistakes of judgment.
This Red Cross lifeguard class also provides one with the necessary knowledge on how to do critical thinking and fast decision making. Learning this ahead improves reaction time thus resulting to an action taken immediately. Another goal of this program is for the trainee to be more confident in stepping up to help those who are in need. Programs offered are CPR training, first aid, and operation of Automatic External Defibrillators.
Anyone can learn CPR and everyone should. CPR helps keep blood and oxygen flowing and dramatically increases the chances of survival in those who came from drowning. Time is the essence when treating his kind of victim. Once the heart stops beating and blood flow stops, a person will lose consciousness within fifteen seconds. Within another thirty to sixty seconds, he will stop breathing, and irreversible damage to his brain cells will follow after several minutes of oxygen deprivation. There’s no blood circulating in the body to deliver oxygen to the brain and other organs. Death is just minutes away.
CPR classes will equip you with the tools and the confidence you need to transform yourself from the role of bystander to lifesaver. CPR certification will give you the necessary training to make the right decisions in the event of a cardiac emergency. When properly and promptly performed, CPR can dramatically improve person’s chance of survival.
First aid knowledge is invaluable for both you as the individual and the people surrounding you. It enables you to assist persons who become injured in the event of an accident or emergency situation until help arrives. You won’t know when or how you will need to help a friend or family member prior to the situation. Fortunately, you can prepare yourself for possible circumstances.
First aid knowledge is an essential part of any situation that should not be ignored. Basic first aid knowledge is comprised of relatively simple techniques and procedures that can be performed with limited equipment and is typically carried out until professional medical assistance arrives. It is very important for everyone to have at least a basic knowledge of first aid.
Best way to solve aquatic problems
The paramount
way to be ready for unexpected aquatic problems is to prepare and undergo the
training offered by Aquatic Solutions. Enhance decision making skills when an
emergency situation happens. A mindset that one should have is that he or she
should be prepared for anything no matter what circumstance.
Aquatic problems should be faced using a step by step approach. Before intervening, one should assess the situation first before anything else. Identify the water conditions of the area. Know which way the currents are moving so when you enter the water to rescue a swimmer in distress, you will be able to swim the fastest route to the victim. A person can pick out any possibly threatening situation such as someone going out too far or someone swimming into a possible rip current. Other questions you should be asking yourself are; is there something that may endanger your life? Is it safe to rescue the drowning person? It is important to keep in mind that the number of casualties should be kept at a minimum. Don’t be a casualty yourself.
This is why proper assessment of a situation is crucial and imperative when it comes to rescuing. One wrong move could harmful and lead to numerous unfortunate events.
As soon as you
begin to see a rescue developing you must identify the problem. Is it in a rip
current? How immediate is the threat, is the water extremely rough? All of
these situations call for various approaches. But the first step is to alert
the lifeguard that something is going on and make a move. This step is
necessary as it lets the rest of the patrol know you are going in and they can
all send a representative from their stands to provide backup.
Once in the water it is important to not lose sight of your victim. A rescuer should modify their swimming technique when approaching a victim. Lift head straight up and out of the water every few strokes while swimming freestyle and searching for the victim. Once you reach the victim, identify yourself as the rescuer and assure that you are there to help and everything is going to be fine. Calm the victim and give instructions slowly as soon as his or her panic decreases. Explain every move you make to ensure comfort and maximum participation. Secure the victim in front of you.
The next thing to do is to swim back to shore. Once the victim is in position, they are in no immediate danger. Lifeguards are already alert and ready to help at any time they can. Whether you are being pulled in or swimming in, talk to your victim, have a nice conversation, explain what’s happening as well. Alleviating anxiety can be a big time help.
As soon as you
reach the shore, help the person stand. Keep your arm locked around under their
armpit, this will help if they collapse. Once on dry sand explain to your
victim what they did wrong and tell them to be careful next time around.
A lifeguard’s job is a crucial one. His presence and fast actions set
the definite line between life and death. Adequate training and practice are
essential for anyone who wants to become a certified lifeguard in order to be
able to act fast in the case of an emergency.
Shallow Pool Lifeguard:
Professional and well-trained lifeguards should show amazing skills that
enable them to recognize, prevent, and manage any case of emergency in an
aquatic facility. This includes dealing with medical emergencies and giving
first aid until the paramedics arrive.
Shallow pool lifeguarding training focuses on teaching lifeguard
candidates how to act while working in a pool that is 5 feet deep or less. This
training course is suitable for beginners who want to work in aqua parks and
areas where there are special swimming pools designed for kids. A perfect
candidate should have good swimming skills that enable them to swim
continuously for at least 100 yards, even the pool they supervise is not that
big.
This course is designed to provide entry-level skills for people who
want to become professional lifeguards. Anyone who is above the age of 15 can
join take this training course if they can do the following:
They can swim for 100 yards using the front crawl or backstroke. They shouldn’t swim on the side or the back because this is the typical situation where they will be carrying someone else out of the water.
They can demonstrate breath control and handle others in cases of panic.
They are able to tread water for 2 minutes while putting their hands under their armpits.
They can pass this test: swim for 20 yards then go to the depth of 5 feet, retrieve a 10-pound object, and return to the surface. They are later asked to walk or swim for 20 yards to return to the starting point while carrying the object.
You don’t need a lot of training to become a certified shallow pool
lifeguard. If you have the necessary skills, you will be given a crash course on
first aid and how to act in the case of a medical emergency until professional
help arrives.
You are going to receive a certificate that is valid for 2 years. The
test itself will take one day and you will be ready to work as a professional
and certified shallow pool lifeguard once you complete it.
Lifeguards should be able to handle stressful situations, so you need to
understand that you will have to handle a lot of panic, shouting, and fear. It
is your job to calm people down. You mustn’t let these factors affect you in a
real-life situation where you are asked to act promptly to save someone’s life.
Once you have become sure that you are ready to do the job, you can find a lot
of employment opportunities, especially in the summer where people will be
spending more time around pools with their little ones.
