Photo Credit: Courtesy of Wilderness at the Smokies
Although it has been longer than I care to admit, I still remember the first time I obtained American Red Cross lifeguarding certification. Sitting on the edge of the high-school pool in my Indiana hometown, I heard the instructor say, “OK, you are all certified, but that doesn’t mean you are ready for every guarding environment. So, if someone hires you for ocean or beachfront guarding in the future, for heaven’s sake, get more training!”
Those words echo through my mind each time I visit an environment I consider difficult to guard. Lakes can be opaque, oceans can be choppy, and water parks can have obstacles and attractions that don’t occur in nature. For those who supervise these environments, making sure lifeguards are properly prepared is critical.
The Training And Supervision Challenge
Drowning is the fifth-leading cause of accidental death in the United States, with about 90 percent of cases occurring in fresh water, and the remaining 10 percent in seawater. The person standing between enjoying the water and potential tragedy is the lifeguard; the training and support that this professional receives is critical to the overall safety of the facility.