Similarities Between Lake And Ocean Lifeguard

Lake and Ocean Lifeguards: A Comparison
Lake and ocean lifeguards work very similar jobs but have distinct differences. Lifeguards are trained in skills in order to protect and serve the public. The history of lifeguards is quite recent since actual lifeguards have only been around for the past 100 years. Lake and ocean lifeguards have a similar skill set, yet their distinct locations makes a major difference in what is required of them. While lake lifeguards and ocean lifeguards perform many of the same duties and earn a similar salary, there are distinct differences between them.
1. History of Lifeguards
Lifeguards have been around for just about 100 years with quite a bit of history. To start off with, “Lifeguards not being present at all

public bathing areas led the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) to develop a volunteer National Lifesaving Service in 1912. In 1914, Commodore Wilbert E. Longfellow established the American Red Cross Lifesaving, which trained swimmers throughout the United States in lifesaving and resuscitation, then organized them into volunteer corps, and encouraged them to accept responsibility for supervision of bathing activities in their communities” (“History Of Lifeguards”). Clearly, water recreation would be very different and much less safe today if these men did not put these programs together. Beach lifeguards in California came a little later, around “the late 1930’s” when the nation was plagued by the Great Depression and needed “inexpensive recreation.” Consequently, “communities grew around seasonal beach attendance” and “transportation improvements made the beach accessible to the inland communities. The influx of swimmers into the surf-zone in Southern California lead to drowning on a sometimes massive scale” (“Lifeguard History”). For this reason, beach lifeguards were desperately needed. Advances in technology actively change training skills and techniques. “In 1964, the organization now known as the United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) was founded by members of several California surf lifeguard agencies originally to enhance lifesaving efforts and drowning prevention, to standardize beach lifeguard practices and educate the public about water safety along with improving professionalism among beach lifeguard organizations around the country” (“History Of Lifeguards”). However the different organizations of United States Lifesaving Association, American Red Cross, and even Young Men’s Christian Association all work together to train lifeguards today. History may be short yet there are many events and changes in the duties of lifeguards that has happened in that time.
2. Requirements to Become a Lifeguard
To become a lifeguard there are qualification requirements the everyone must meet to get the job. One of the main requirements is “the ability to meet and maintain a 1000m ocean swim time of under 20 minutes” (“Beach Lifeguard I”). This means that lifeguards need to be physically fit and able to perform actions to save lives. A definite requirement is that lifeguards need a “criminal history and fingerprint check” (“Beach Lifeguard I”). In other words lifeguards need to not have a criminal history because there are many responsibilities of lifeguards. Both types of lifeguards also need to graduate from high school or get their GED (“Lake Lifeguard”), but this is a requirement of most jobs. Lifeguards need a basic education in order to understand basic work questions and help solve problems. Similarly, the requirements to become a Los Angeles County Lake Lifeguard include filling out an application, swimming 1000 meters, passing a medical physical, and receiving 80 hours in a training academy” (Miller). The requirements of lake lifeguards are quite similar to ocean lifeguards. Qualifications of the job is to help weed out who is not capable of doing the job.
3. Lifeguard Duties
Lake and ocean lifeguards have common duties. One of the common duties is to provide“Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and general first aid ...In addition, many lifeguards are now both trained and certified to use advanced life saving tools such as the external defibrillator and portable oxygen” (“History Of Lifeguards”). For this reason is so that lifeguards can have a better chance in saving a person's life. Moreover, to ensure the safety of all patrons, “lifeguards watch for unusual activities on the part of swimmers to recognize struggling swimmers, drowning swimmers, and swimmers with sudden medical conditions such as stroke, heart attack, asthma, diabetes, or seizures” (“History Of Lifeguards”). Any of these medical situations could arise at anytime and all are life threatening. Another major duty that both types of lifeguards share is to “warn [the public] of hazardous conditions” (“Beach Lifeguard I”). Therefore the public can trust the lifeguards with their life. Also, the lifeguard “maintains a professional and courteous relationship with the public and coworkers” (“Beach Lifeguard I”). However lifeguards need to work and help people so not to offend or hurt. Lake and Ocean lifeguards may have common duties but, there are specific duties that separate them.
Both lake and ocean lifeguards have required duties that do not involve protecting the public. A lifeguard based in headquarters “dispatches lifeguard personnel and other allied agencies to aquatic and medical emergencies using radio and phone equipment” (“Beach Lifeguard II”). This is because lifeguards are able to be working multiple different duties. Lifeguards are “responsible for the proper and timely completion of payroll documents, scheduling requests, incident reports, vehicle inspection logs, PWC logs, daily logs, and other related reports and paperwork” (“Beach Lifeguard II”). Paperwork is often a major part especially after an incident in which paperwork is completed for legal reasons. “Opens lifeguard tower at beginning of shift and checks equipment such as rescue cans, radio, first aid box, resuscitator, oxygen and face masks; reports malfunctions to the lead lifeguard or supervisor” (“Lake Lifeguard”). More simply lifeguards setting up and opening is just making sure everything is in place to be able care for anyone in an emergency. These duties may not directly help or assist the public, but they do help lifeguards be ready to save and protect lives.
That said, there are specific duties for lake lifeguards.

A lake lifeguard “enforces lake ordinances and rules, prohibiting such activities as use of illegal flotation devices and swimming in restricted areas.” He or she also “reports other incidents such as capsized boats, violations of boating regulations, drinking alcoholic beverages or fights to the senior lifeguard [or] supervisor” (“Lake Lifeguards”). Consequently, this gives other lake lifeguards the ability to work together and communicate with the public more often. Another duty is that the lifeguard “observes parking, dock, and launch areas for instances of unacceptable activity such as speeding boats, unsafe launches, illegal parking, or drinking alcoholic beverages” as well as “issues warnings for minor offenses and issues citations in cases of repeated or serious offenses” (“Lake Lifeguard”). This means lake lifeguards are the first response in law enforcement emergencies and in order to keep safety among the public on the lake. The lifeguards on duty respond “to such incidents as burning, capsized, or sinking boats,” operate “fire fighting and pumping equipment,” attach “tow lines,” and swim “to effect rescues” (“Lake Lifeguard”). In other words, lake lifeguards have many jobs that require first responder skills. These specific duties for lake lifeguards set the job apart from ocean

lifeguards.
There are also specific duties for ocean lifeguards. “Answers questions and provides information pertaining to the beach and ocean environment” (“Beach Lifeguard I”). In other words, beach lifeguards mainly work public relations. “Interprets beach rules and regulations to the public pertaining to safety and conduct” (“Beach Lifeguard I”). This means communicating with the public in preemptive safety for the community. “Law enforcement of beach regulations through citation, arrest and impound of vessels” (“Lifeguard Services”). This means that ocean lifeguards are the first response law enforcement on the beach and in the water. “Coastal cliff rescue” (“Lifeguard Services”). More simply, the location depends on what the job requires. The specific duties of ocean lifeguards differ from lake lifeguards mostly due to their location and how it affects their job.
4. Perks/Drawbacks
Lifeguard salaries can vary from position to location of the job. The starting hourly rate of Santa Cruz Beach Lifeguards are, “$15.03-16.57/hour” (“Beach Lifeguard I”). Therefore, a starting pay for lifeguards are well above average which minimum wage is $10.50 per hour. Lifeguards have a summer rate of, “$3,444.00 - $5,531.00” (“Public Safety”). More simply lifeguards make just a living in able to just pass by most of the time. Lifeguard supervisors make a summer rate of, “$4,799.00 - $6,545.00” (“Public Safety”). However supervisors make a quality amount of salary. Salary fluxuates across from position that is obtained to risk of the job.
Work life of lifeguards came have many benefits in which encourage them to do their very best. “Lifeguards get to spend every day at the beach (or pool or lake or…)” (“Pros and Cons”). “Lifeguards often work together... In most of these environments, working as a team is key. Not only do the use those communication skills, but their is often an understanding about who needs to do what when there are multiple guards on duty” (“The Benefits”).
Lifeguards experience many drawbacks while on the job.
One might think that all lifeguards are the same. Yet, there are a number of differences among lifeguards, depending on the location, salary, and duties. The lifeguards who work at beaches and the lifeguards who work at lakes share many of the same duties, from saving distressed swimmers to partoling waters in a boat. That said, they also have unique location-specific tasks that clearly distinguish between the two types of lifeguards. When enjoying a trip to the beach or a lake, most people give little thought to the lifeguards sitting in a tower or patrolling the area. However, lifeguards in every location are an integral part of the safety of beaches and lakes across the country.