What does a lifeguard do?
Whether on the beach or in the pool, the figure of the lifeguard is essential when protecting people's lives. His main function is to monitor and prevent any type of aquatic accident, however, his work includes many other duties and responsibilities.
Duties and Responsibilities of a Lifeguard
The job of every lifeguard is to enforce the rules to anticipate mishaps that may occur.
The lifeguard is responsible for monitoring the assigned area and observing the users to anticipate any problems that may arise. Staying focused on surveillance and observation will allow you to quickly identify if any situation that requires attention develops, and from there intervene according to the corresponding regulations.
On the beaches and swimming pools, the lifeguard must also supervise the use of equipment and resources available in the place to carry out activities such as water slides and other games.
The lifeguard must carry out the rescues and immediately implement emergency measures as appropriate for each particular case. His duty also includes providing first aid to another rescuer in the event of an injury or other type of accident.
Distance Life Rescue Course for Beginners
Depending on the establishment where they work, lifeguards may have other types of tasks and secondary functions, such as hygiene and cleaning of the place, verification of documents, checking chlorine and pH levels in the pool, or intervening as an information point.
As we can see, the main objective of the lifeguard's work consists of enforcing the safety regulations of the aquatic spaces, which implies not only watching the people present there but also intervening in possible altercations, preventing them from running around from the pool, alert about the proximity to the buoys, etc.
So far we have seen what the lifeguard's job consists of and what his main responsibilities and duties are. If you would like to learn much more about this profession, in particular, you can contact American lifeguard events for lifeguard courses, lifeguard training, and more lifeguard-related services.
What obligations does the pool lifeguard have?
The lifeguards are rescue and lifeguard technicians and the main obligation of the pool lifeguard is to remain at their surveillance post during their workday. From the opening of the facility to its closure, there is an obligation to maintain or relieve the necessary first responders.
The lifeguard must monitor and control, at all times, the safety and the needs of all bathers in the water.
OBLIGATIONS OF THE RESCUER
The lifeguard has the obligation not to leave the surveillance post under any condition, except in the case of needing to attend to a victim or injury. While the lifeguard has the commitment to act in the event of an accident and exercises his obligation to protect, notify and assist (PAS), he can require the rest of the bathers to get out of the water preventively.
The lifeguard must intervene to avoid or put an end to a situation that puts the health of bathers at risk, such as running around the edge of the pool, fights, or dangerous plunges...
IT IS NOT THE OBLIGATION OF THE RESCUER
The supervision of the children is the obligation of the parents. Mom and dad must always be attentive to their children. That is the best prevention! The permanent control and surveillance of our children by an adult are essential so that the fun does not end by accident. It is not the duty of the lifeguard to watch the children while the parents bathe or are not present around the pool.
The lifeguard has no obligation to play with children or adolescents or the role of guardian.
It is not the obligation of the lifeguard to intervene in risky situations (fights, robberies...) that occur outside the pool area. In these cases, the lifeguard must notify the person in charge of security of the facility whose obligation is to control access, and failing that, the forces of public order.
Now you know what are the obligations of the pool lifeguard, what are his functions, and what you should not ask him to do since he is out of his duties.
Every year thousands of people die from drowning, and serious injuries such as head injuries or spinal cord injuries also occur. It is everyone's commitment to avoid it!
- Can anyone be a lifeguard?
In most of the autonomous communities, it is enough to accredit training in surveillance, prevention, rescue, and first aid tasks, given by approved entities, pending the implementation of the need to have a technical degree through the National Institute of Qualifications. In addition, it is a requirement to be 16 years old and have an average level of swimming. To be a lifeguard in open water (beaches, lakes, and reservoirs) it may be necessary to prove specialized training, which will include skills such as rescue from boats.
- Can I leave my children in the care of the lifeguard?
According to the agreement, lifeguards will not be able to perform, during bathing hours, any work other than their duties as rescue technicians. In other words, they will only watch them to the extent that they are in danger in the water. The supervision of the children is the responsibility of the parents, who, in addition, must answer for the damages that their children cause to the facilities or third parties, using the payment of compensation.
- Is it mandatory that all pools have a lifeguard?
In the absence of a national standard, we can find very different regulations depending on the autonomous community that has regulated it, either depending on the number of homes or the dimensions of the pool. For example, the Community of
Pools for collective use of neighborhood communities, with less than 30 homes.
When there is an obligation, the number of lifeguards will vary depending on the meters of the pool: one in pools up to 500 m2, two between 500 and 1,000 m2, and, from there, one more for every 1,000 m2.
