Sure, you need to be a strong swimmer to pass all your tests, but lifeguards spend their days OUT of the pool, not IN it!

• Most girls who love to swim become lifeguards, but one really has nothing to do with the other. Sure, you need to be a strong swimmer to pass all your tests, but lifeguards spend their days OUT of the pool, not IN it! So, if you want to be in the water, maybe consider a career in aqua therapy or the like, because lifeguards spend many hours wishing they were in that delicious, sparkling water!
• Lifeguarding is a very rewarding job. I’ve guarded many ages, and the younger ones are always falling and slipping in the water, needing the lifeguard to help them get up. I’ve saved many little kids like that, and it says that someone who saves a life has saved a whole world.
• The one downside of lifeguarding is the heat and sun. Indoor pools don’t have a problem with sun, (although it can get really hot and humid in there!) but outside, the heat always makes the job harder. Lifeguards need to make sure to use lots of sunscreen, drink tons of water, and take breaks.
• No matter how much you love water and swimming, if you’re the type to panic in an emergency please do not be a lifeguard! You need to be able to really focus and stay calm, and make quick judgments calls.
• Lifeguards might need to use their skills and knowledge outside of a pool setting as well. There have been times during a typical day in school or even at a family party that people needed CPR, the Heimlich maneuver, or other things we’ve learned in lifeguarding classes. May no one ever need it, but if chas v’shalom they do, it’s convenient for a lifeguard to be around!

Special thanks to CSF for this idea, and to CG and FS.

(Originally featured in Teen Pages, Issue 821)