We love to think that being a lifeguard is just a name, and it has nothing to do with anything else other than the pool management. But if you think being a lifeguard is all about a teen in high school who is smeared with SPF 30 and stretching out in a chair, and all this lifeguard does is just double-checking on drowning children, you are totally wrong. This is because lifeguard is not just a useless title of a job. It has all the characteristics of being important. It’s a tough job, but yes, someone has to do it. 

So, you’ve finally decided that you want to make a career out of it, and you know you are proud to be called as a lifeguard? The thing is that you have to know that deep inside your heart; this is what you want. That is why we would like to tell you the importance of being a lifeguard. You are not just defending your own safety because every day when you go to work you are expecting the unexpected. That is why it is very crucial for someone who desires to become a lifeguard to go for a lifeguard training. The number one role of a lifeguard is to ensure that every swimmer at pools and public beaches have a safe environment. Lifeguards are advanced swimmers who are trained through swimming programs especially under International Lifeguard Training Program (ILTP). 

If you desire a job where you can make a difference every day and is full of challenges, the first thing you need to do is to apply for a lifeguard training with Jeff Ellis Management or with any other certified swimming programs. You will be trained about anything related to safety and rescue, public beaches and pool management, and your routine role as a lifeguard in monitoring all activities in the water. Other than that, you will also learn that instead of watching people from faraway, you will still need to interact with them by teaching swimming lessons and the safety rules.

Lifeguards are trained to be completely calm especially when it involves emergency rescue procedures. They are not just excellent swimmers; they are lifesavers. That is why you can see that whenever there’s an emergency where a swimmer is cramping, fatigued, injured, or at risk for any other unknown reasons, a lifeguard will dive into the water to save the swimmer. In some cases where it takes time for paramedics to arrive, a lifeguard will be the one performing the on-site emergency response. All of these are impossible to be performed if a lifeguard did not go through  lifeguard training. It also take a lot of confidence for a lifeguard to be able to do an evacuation and make a huge announcement should the place of recreation is not safe for public. 

Being a lifeguard is more than just getting the worst tan lines ever, or to smell like chlorine once you get back home. It’s about a commitment toward a responsibility of ensuring one’s life is secured while you’re on duty. If anything happens, you will be asked about it, and that is why getting the proper training will give you an insight of what exactly a public beach or pool management is. Since every day when you go to that same swimming pool or public beach, you get the chance to become the hero of the day. Does it sound interesting to you?

Note: We want to thank Mickey Colon of jeffellismanagement.com for this insight into exactly what it takes to become a lifeguard.  People who choose this profession will not only be working on the beaches, but protecting swimmers in college pools, city pools, and recreational centers.  It takes someone who can pay attention for hours to everything going on in and around the pool.  It does seem glamorous, but it is a very important job.  Knowing CPR and having the appropriate first aid equipment plays a huge part in saving lives.  pb