Lifeguard Research Paper

Summer jobs may range in various ways, from farming on family land to sacking groceries at the local store. Embarking in high school, most students want to find a summer job that would be enjoyable for three months and that would pay fairly decent. Working as a lifeguard comes with advantages and disadvantages, but all in all the summer job is easy and fun for teenagers. Moreover, lifeguarding teaches great skills to teenagers that they can later on use to help them in life and build friendships with other guards that last a lifetime.
The first step in becoming a lifeguard is the application process. The lifeguard job is appointed by the city, therefore the application and interview is held at City Hall. The application process is more

competitive than sought out to be, because the job is seen as a lenient occupation which lazy high school students seem to desire. Prior job experience isn't the most significant information on the application, the most important quality in an applicant is their ability to swim. In Scott City, normally 13-15 lifeguards are hired a year, not including the manager and the assistant manager. First year applicants are given a part-time position with the pay of minimum wage. Past lifeguards that are re-hired, are given a 75 cent raise depending on their status of part or full-time guard. Overall, applying for a job that other numerous candidates are competing for can become nerve wrecking, but when finally obtaining the job the procedure was well worth the stress.
Once the job is acquired, the training begins. Working as a lifeguard transpires hours of training which is immensely important and required to fulfill the job. Additionally, because Scott City doesn't have the qualified personnel to award lifeguard applicant certifications, guards in training are required to travel to different towns to receive their certification. When a lifeguard is first certified, they then are obligated to re-certify every other year, in order to obtain certification. Re-certification is also important in keeping guards up to date with the proper training. The training process lasts between three to four days and consists of training and tests in the water and out. Consequently, if trainees do not pass the in-water tests, then they do not pass at all and cannot become a lifeguard. Personally, the paper scenario tests were harder than the swimming tests because the different situations can have a variety of solutions. With a lifeguard certification card, you are also licensed to give swim lessons. Giving swim lessons is the most rewarding part of being a lifeguard and that one can apply anytime a child needs lessons. The entire process can be strenuous, but in the end will prepare a trainee to become a lifeguard. .
Initially, the training begins with an immense amount of videos which are mainly filled with examples of events that could take place while a guard is on duty.

These films consume most of the morning of training, but once the films have finished, the in-water tests begin. The pool training and testing is the most difficult and can make or break a guard. In-water testing consists of three exams; swimming a 500, retrieving a brick, and treading water. When swimming the 500, a trainee can use whatever stroke they'd like and goggles as oppose to the other tests. Retrieving the brick can be strenuous, especially when the black brick is dropped on the black line. Diving down into the 13 foot pool to recover a camouflaged object, then backstroking with the brick on your chest above water signifies what saving a submerged victim would resemble. Personally, treading water for three minutes was the hardest part, solely because trainees could not use hands to keep a steady pace. After finishing the water tests, the training portion then begins. For instance, we learned in-water back-boarding, saving submerged or struggling victims, deep water saving, and how to enter the pool depending on the victim’s status. If the swimmer is immobile and floating atop the water, for example, guards are to enter the water slowly to decrease the chance of paralysis. After learning and acquiring skills in the water, we then learn proper CPR depending on the status of the victim. One of the most

important CPR skills, personally, is how to lay a seizing victim on their side to avoid drowning and swallowing their tongue. In conclusion, on the last day of training guards take paper tests to receive their certification and become a licensed lifeguard.
The first day on the job is intimidating for first year guards.

Meeting your co-workers and applying the skills you learned in training months before in front of bosses can be extremely nerve-wrecking. The aquatic staff begins working three weeks prior to the opening to prepare the pool. Due to the pool being abandoned all but three months out of the year, a large amount of dirt is accumulated throughout the concession stand, restrooms, guard rooms and office therefore, at least three days are spent power washing the entire building. Thankfully, all of the important documents and items in the pool house are covered to prevent damage from the dirt and dust. The most steroids task of cleaning is dragging out everything from storage and cleaning the pool gear. Unfortunately, the pool has at least 30 tanning chairs and six tables, each with chairs, that guards drag out of storage, clean, and finally place them in their spots in which they would stay for three months. Furthermore, the cleaning is one of the strenuous parts of the job, but once that is done the fun activities

begin.
Without delay, the full-time guards teach the first year guards how everything in the pool works that was not taught in training. Scanning the pool, for instance, depends on which stand a guard occupies, therefore, differing the zones one guard begins by skimming the top layer of your zone, then the middle, and finally the bottom. Observing the bottom of the pool is the most important layer to scan, because a guard could be completely oblivious if someone is laying under the water unconscious. The number of guards out on the stands solely depends on the amount of civilians in the pool. If there are under 25 people, to demonstrate, then only one guard needs to be on the stand, but if the crowd exceeds twenty-five, then another guard is added to the rotation. As the herd of people grows, then more and more guards are added to the mix. Guard rotations are very strict and if not followed properly, can upset all of the guards out on the stands. There are three rotations and a break in an hour. The first shift begins on the dot and the guard on the stand will keep the pool under surveillance for 15 minutes until the second guard comes out. After the second guard is on the stand, they will be there for 15 more minutes until the third and final guard takes over for them for 20 minutes. When this guard’s shift is up, they will blow the whistle to signify break. The break will last ten minutes, comparatively the cycle will repeat. Overall, the system at the pool can be complicated at the beginning, but once one is acquainted, the fun part of the job begins.
The work day begins at noon and on regular days, concludes at six in the evenings. Uniquely, from noon to one, the pool is open for an hour for adults who wish to lap swim. Some of the older citizens who come to lap swim are courteous to the lifeguards and tend to bring the guards treats. At the beginning of the day, guards are given chores to do before opening such as; cleaning restrooms, power washing, cleaning concessions, sweeping the baby pool, and guarding lap swim. Cleaning the restrooms consists of scrubbing the toilets, sweeping the floor, and washing the sinks. This task takes two guards who can either team up and clean one bathroom together or can split up and work on the girls and boys restrooms separately. Occasionally those guards cleaning the restrooms find themselves a special treat, mostly from boys, who couldn't quite make it to the toilet. Personally, power washing has to be one of the worst chores. The washer is difficult to start and a person can burn just by standing out in the sun for 20 minutes. Although the beginning of the day chores are tedious, the end of the day chores require just as much effort. Lifeguards are responsible for washing the floors of the restrooms and sweeping the pool, not to mention stacking all of the tanning chairs at the end of the day. One couldn't imagine how grimy a restroom can become after just one day, and because of this, we use the toughest soap to scrub the floors of the bathroom since people walk on it with their bare feet all day. Consequently, people applying for the lifeguard position having the mindset of an easy job.
Scott City’s pool uniquely gives swim lessons to children for a week in June and July which are sponsored by Red Cross. Consequently, these swim lessons aren't as fun to give as private lessons are. In private lessons, the guard can really connect with the child in teaching them how to swim because one-on-one time with a child is critically important when a child is first learning to swim. Personally, giving private swim lessons is the best part of being a lifeguard because seeing a child that you personally taught to swim finally do it on their own is the most rewarding feeling. While giving swim lessons is the best part of being a lifeguard, there are also disadvantages of being a lifeguard. Every now and then the pool staff will receive a smelly, brown gift on the floor of the boys bathroom. Ultimately, cleaning the boys bathroom is the absolute worst part of the job, and for some reason, the boys’ bathroom is always the worst.
The training a lifeguard undergoes can accumulate mounds of stress, but in the long run, the training can save a life of a victim. Being a lifeguard comes with frequent advantages and disadvantages but all in all, lifeguarding is a great summer job for high school students. The schedule is also very flexible for guards with busy summer’s. Although pay in the beginning isn't the best, as the summers continue the pay will increase. The skills one learns as a lifeguard are some that will stick with a guard forever and can apply to their future jobs.