Lifeguards, they are the first responder to an aquatic rescue. Their duties include enforcing pool rules, scanning the water, making water rescues, and saving lives. Training is essential to a lifeguard.
After growing up a competitive swimmer my whole life, it only made sense that my first job was going to be a Lifeguard. I wanted to be prepared to start my job the day I turned 16, so at 15 years old I signed up for a local lifeguard training class. This class was 3 days classroom and hands-on training to prepare us to pass a series of tests. Each day we would begin in the classroom and discuss the different type of rescue techniques. We would see examples on a presentation and discuss which technique is used when. Then, we would suit up and jump in the pool to practice these techniques ourselves. After some time practicing, our instructor would present us with a real life scenario. Someone would be in the water as the distressed swimmer and we would have to use the skills we just learned to properly make the rescue. We would take turns in the scenarios being the active lifeguard, and the second responding lifeguard. This series of training techniques was very beneficial towards my understanding. By first communicating the relevance, making the content meaningful, and then allowing time to practice in a group setting I was able to perfect my skills and gain confidence within a short period of time. Watching others complete their skills, working in a group to complete a rescue, and receiving feedback allowed me to pass all my skill tests.
The training during my time as a lifeguard didn’t stop there. We had monthly trainings that gave us the time to practice our skills, communication, and team work. These monthly trainings were very crucial for the success of our lifeguard team. Not only did we ensure our first aid and rescue skills were top notch, but we grew as a team. The trainings took away the obligations of our day to day responsibilities and allowed the team to open up and get to know each other better.
As discussed in class lectures, what was most effective during my lifeguard training was meaningful content followed up my group hands-on experience.
