As kids and maybe even grown-ups, many of us challenged our friends and family members to breath-holding competitions in both the shallow and deep ends of the pool. But recent research, along with recent tragedies, reveal that these seemingly fun and innocent games can lead to a silent killer known as hypoxic blackout. Here’s what you need to know to…
Summer always flies by, blink and it’s too late to make good on the plans you made earlier this year. Well, it’s not too late for everything: Even with summer coming to a close, you can still land a job lifeguarding that allows you to make some extra money, gain some good experience, and soak up the late-summer sun (plus:…
As part of your lifeguard training, you’ll learn how to rescue swimmers in danger and become certified in CPR. In the event that a swimmer isn’t breathing, you will need to perform CPR immediately. Brain damage can occur after just four minutes without oxygen and death can occur four to six minutes later, so being able to act quickly until…
You’ve no doubt seen lifeguards on TV and in movies. Most of the time, they’re in the middle of dramatic situations or watching over the pool or beach looking glamorous while hanging out with their friends. The reality of being a lifeguard, however, is slightly different than Hollywood would have you believe. You won’t be saving swimmers from threatening situations…
Think lifeguarding is just for outgoing, extroverted types? Being shy or quiet doesn’t mean you can’t be an effective lifeguard — in fact, there are plenty of positives that more introverted personalities bring to the job. Being a good listener and observer are important skills for lifeguards. However, you still need to be able to enforce the pool rules, even…
It’s rare, but it happens — an emergency at the pool. Sometimes even the best training and prevention won’t be enough to avoid it. In some instances, you and your fellow lifeguards will be able to use your first aid and CPR training to handle injuries, but in other emergencies you may find yourself needing to call 911. Making the…
As a lifeguard, your job is pretty straightforward: keep swimmers safe at the pool. On a normal day, this means you’ll be at your lifeguard station scanning the water for most of your shift, identifying any potential dangers and signs of trouble. Yet looking at the water for a few hours straight can get pretty tiring — not to mention…
There’s a saying in the lifeguard business — “A good lifeguard never gets wet.” How is that possible, considering that lifeguards spend entire days around giant pools of water? If you’re a lifeguard, “never getting wet” doesn’t mean you can’t hop in the pool to cool off during your break or after your shift. What it means is that you…
Waiting tables, answering phones in an office, entering data on a computer — many summer jobs just aren’t that enticing, whether because they do little to expand your skill set, cramp your schedule, or just aren’t that fun. If a typical summer involves long hours working a job that gets in the way of your life and doesn’t really suit,…
Want to land a summer job lifeguarding but don’t know where to start? Maybe you worry you don’t have time to train for it. Whatever the case, you’re not alone. Today’s high school and college students juggle hectic schedules that involve hours of homework, extracurricular activities, community involvement, and more. If this sounds like your life, rest assured that some…
