Lifeguards Are the Heartbeat of the Protected Beach

It will be quite easy to provide an unofficial definition for a lifeguard - someone who is usually taken for granted, often considered a nuisance by holidaymakers, harassed during emergencies, loves water and fresh air, and doesn't mind a bit of attention from his or her peers of the opposite gender.

The instruction manual will also seek the following attributes from a would be lifeguard - a person with excellent water skills and knowledge, and the fitness and judgment necessary to carry out their duties employing resourcefulness and communication abilities with a good awareness of first aid techniques.

This rules out some of the characteristics generally attributed to these professionals, such as bronzed well built semi-hero's who jog effortlessly from a CPR to paddling a surfboard to finding car keys in tons of churned up sand, efficiently soothing a jellyfish sting and enjoying the company of wide eyed beach girls in between.

It is more like, trying to keep focus on several hundred overweight, inexperienced bathers constantly being spread around by rip currents, looking out for children knocked flying by sneaky shore breaks, fighting off fatigue caused by the glare, sand blowing into the eyes, standing in unforgiving heat or chilling wind as such during duty.

So this sums up the exposed side of being a lifeguard, you have the choice of making it your profession, then following it on to a career as a medic or managing for companies that provide such services, or you can become a voluntary lifeguard through a club. Whichever route is taken, the skills, confidence and benefit to society that the training and experience will leave you with, makes it well worth the effort.

Those benefits which are less evident at first, are a good training in first aid and basic lifesaving, including care for neck and spine injuries, choking and assisted breathing for all ages. From gaining skills in reading changing surf conditions to training with helicopter rescue crews, to gaining an ability to recognize signs of impeding danger, how to notice when someone has a problem and requires assistance, and how best to implement that assistance is obtained.

Your judgment will also give you the choice of calling for immediate help if you do not think that you are equipped to deal with a situation, much better than wasting valuable time or risking your own life in a failed attempt.

Being a lifeguard is more than just having a good excuse to spend plenty of time on the beach, but few if any outdoor careers offer the scope of responsibilities and enjoyments that it can provide. There is no doubt that patrolling around in your yellow and red kit, torpedo buoy dangling nonchalantly in one hand, whistle on a bright cord around your neck, does bring a feel good confidence to your bare footed step!.

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