A lifeguard does exactly what the title promises: guarding the lives of swimmers in their geographic area of responsibility. Not only swimmers are monitored in the water, but also on beaches, docks, piers and rafts. The job of a lifeguard is to protect the entire bathing area.

The job is serious and requires the ability to observe many people of all ages and swimming abilities at the same time. These people may be confined to a pool area at hotels, community recreation areas, private swim clubs, or schools, or distributed along the shore of a river, lake, or ocean. A lifeguard must also monitor and control the behavior of swimmers out of the water to ensure public safety and to ensure a comfortable recreational environment.

They Ensure Safety

A lifeguard’s primary function is to ensure that everyone in their care is safe. To improve visibility of the area of responsibility, a lifeguard will often sit in a high chair overlooking the pool or beach area. In larger open water areas, lifeguards can often be found in rowboats patrolling the area.

In addition to observing swimmers, lifeguards are also aware of circumstances that can lead to dangerous conditions. Rough play that may cause injury or playing with dangerous objects or toys in the water or on the beach is prohibited. In the event of an injury, lifeguards are trained to provide basic first aid and have access to emergency numbers and trained personnel for more serious incidents.

Lifeguard Certification is Required

In addition to being an experienced swimmer and able to handle emergencies calmly to become a lifeguard, a person must also have formal training and certification. The training requires the successful completion of 22 units of water safety instruction combined with passing an examination on approach and rescue techniques. Most locations require lifeguards to complete a refresher course every three years to qualify for continued employment.

Lifeguard Career Opportunities

Being a lifeguard is often seen only as a summer job for young students as it is seasonal work in many parts of the country and typically does not command a high salary or include benefits. However, it can become a full-time career if hired through a cruise line or for an indoor club or facility that requires lifeguards year-round. With advanced lifeguard training near me, a lifeguard can also become a water safety instructor or swimming instructor or coach, both of which pay significantly more than a lifeguard position.

Also Read About: How long does it take to become a lifeguard?

Pool Maintenance Duties of a Lifeguard

A lifeguard is typically hired to maintain a pool, the water in it, and the surrounding area. Some employers also require lifeguards to supervise entry and exit from a safe pool facility. Basically, lifeguards are facility maintenance managers. They are not to be confused with lifeguards, who are responsible for the health and safety of bathers and must have specific certifications.

Public swimming pools are usually regulated recreational facilities. They must be managed properly, otherwise pooling of bathing water between groups of swimmers can create biological hazards that make people ill and transmit diseases. Chemicals such as chlorine must be constantly added to pool water to kill bacteria and other harmful things in order for the water to be suitable for swimming. The amount of chemicals to add depends on the number of people in the water, atmospheric temperature, and other variables.

Lifeguards take hourly water measurements to ensure water chemistry stays within safe guidelines. As the readings change, the operator must adjust the mechanical system to add more chemicals to the water. The lifeguard is also responsible for the color and clarity of the water. These aspects relate to the pool water filtration system. The water color and clarity also require lifeguards to scoop the water with a net to prevent large objects from fouling the water or entering the filtration system.

In short, the lifeguard’s most important duties are maintaining the chemistry, clarity and color of the water. Failure by a supervisor to perform any of these duties can have disastrous health consequences for swimmers. Poor water maintenance can also result in the jurisdiction’s health department closing the facility and fined the owner.

The American Lifeguard Association is offering different levels of lifeguard training programs. they offer training to teenagers and older people on various kinds of lifeguard certification levels.