With our beautiful year-round weather and water-centric lifestyles, lifeguards are an essential part of our Southern California lifestyle. We see them on our beaches and sitting poolside, but many of us have little knowledge about what lifeguards actually do to keep us safe.
Often times, local pools utilize pool monitors as opposed to lifeguards to help keep the facility safe. While pool monitors can play an important role in watching for broken glass or other hazards, they often have minimal or no first aid training, and they are not required to respond in an emergency. They are not there to touch the water.
In order to give you a better understanding about the job of your local lifeguard and to help differentiate between lifeguards and pool monitors, we’ve developed some descriptions of different duties your lifeguard handles every day.
More than Watching the Water
When we think about lifeguards, we likely think about them simply watching the water, but lifeguards do so much more. While it may appear that they are watching the water, they a monitoring conditions, analyzing each swimmer’s capability, and ensuring the safety of everyone near the water. Their goal is to prevent injury and protect each swimmer.
Water Rescues
Whether it's at the beach or the pool, drowning is a risk whenever you are near water. Even the most talented swimmers can have a medical emergency in the water, requiring rescue. With children who may have varying skill levels, potential hazards, and ever-changing conditions, a lifeguard’s ability to provide a water rescue vital to everyone’s safety.
First Aid Administration
From cuts and burns to drowning and heart attacks, lifeguards are often the first responder in a poolside or beach emergency. Therefore, a lifeguard must have the skills to provide lifesaving first aid and CPR. Many lifeguards have substantial EMS training.
Creating a Safe Facility
Hazards can happen anywhere, including poolside. An important part of a lifeguard’s job is to make sure the facility is safe. This helps to prevent injuries and keep pool goers safe throughout the day.
Continual Skill Building
Although we imagine lifeguards working by the water all day, much of their time is spent in a classroom setting, learning new skills and honing the ones they already have. They continue to develop their skill sets both in the water and in the classroom, so they are prepared to handle any situation.
Premier Aquatic Lifeguards
At Premier Aquatic Services, your family’s safety is our top priority. All of our lifeguards go through substantial training to ensure they are keeping you safe and able to address any circumstances that may arise. That's why Premier Aquatics hires the best of the best to keep you safe! Premier is currently hiring lifeguards.
Additionally, the Premier Aquatic staff and lifeguards offer CPR and first aid classes, so our clients are able to learn new skills and protect those around them. Click here to learn more or enroll in CPR classes today!
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