LIFEGUARD

164 East Main Street
Fawn Grove, PA 17321

Description

• Responsible for ensuring the safety of facility patrons
• American Red Cross Certified
• Prevent, recognize and respond quickly and effectively in emergencies
• Enforce all facility policies, rules and regulations
• Inspect the facility daily and report any unsafe conditions or equipment

Lifeguard Team Top 10

• Lifeguards must have a clear understanding of what is expected of them
• Mature, reliable, effective communication & decision-making skills
• Certifications in lifeguarding, first aid and CPR for professional rescuer
• Lifeguards must have proper rescue and protective equipment
• Lifeguards must be properly positioned for patron surveillance

Lifeguard Team top ten

• Lifeguards need to have breaks to maintain effective patron surveillance
• Knowledge of facility's rules, regulations, policies and emergency plans
• Ongoing skills review and training practice are essential
• Lifeguard rewarded for good jobs and corrected for problem behavoir
• Lifeguards must work together to make the facility as safe as possible

Educate Patrons About Inappropriate Behavoir

• Prevent patrons from engaging in risky behavoir
• Get patrons attention by blowing a whistle
• Politely explain hazard or danger, ex. running, diving in shallow water
• Explain a safer alternative behavior or activity
• "Please walk" or "you may dive in the deeper water areas"

Lifeguards on surveillance duty should take no more than a few seconds to correct a patron who breaks a rule

If lifeguard cannot explain a rule within a few seconds, direct the patron to manager for further explanation.

Enforcing Rules and Regulations

• Effective rule enforcement prevents injuries
• Leads to patrons being safe
• Be considerate and courteous while enforcing rules
• Be CONSISTENT and FAIR
• Inconsistent rule enforcement may lead to problem behavoir

Enforcing Rules and Regulations

• Lifeguards must focus on behavior not the individual
• Correct a specific behavior without criticizing or ridiculing the person
• Use age-appropriate language
• If a patron appears uncooperative, make the point clear, do not argue
• Suspension should be a last resort 

If interaction with patron causes a break in surveillance, signal for back-up coverage or call for assistance from management

Effective surveillance

• Victim recognition
• Effective scanning
• Lifeguard stations
• Area of responsibility
• This is critical injury-prevention strategy

Understanding behaviors enables lifeguards to recognize quickly when someone needs help

Recognition - Be able to tell the difference between someone playing safely in the water and someone who needs help
Intrusion - Do not allow other activities, jobs or responsibilities to intrude when lifeguard is performing patron surveillance
Distraction - Lifeguards are not allowed to chat or talk to friends, talk, text or read on phone, play games or listen to music on any devices

Effective scanning

• Lifeguard must know area they are responsible for scanning
• Area includes deck, above & below surface of water and bottom of pool
• If more than one lifeguard these areas should overlap and cover entire area
• Lifeguards should rotate regularly, if more than one lifeguard is on duty
• If lifeguard takes a break, ensure entire area has proper coverage

Thunder and Lightning
Lifeguards and management are responsible for following the proper procedures to clear patrons from the water before an impending storm.
Patron safety should never be at risk.
Stay alert if bad weather is forecast, including high winds, thunder and lightning.

In the event of thunder and lightning:

• Clear everyone from the water at the sound of thunder or sight of lightning
• Move everyone to a safe area, either in building or in cars
• Keep patrons out of showers 
• Wait 30 minutes after the last sound of thunder to resume activities 
• Management will correspond with lifeguard in these circumstances

Victim Recognition

• Look for behavior that indicates a patron needs assistance
• Look for rule infractions
• Look for approaching thunderstorms
• Look for obvious injuries such as bleeding
• Be alert to signs that a swimmer is in distress or drowning

Problem Behavior
A patron who is generally cooperative breaks a rule or behaves in a way that needs to be corrected for his or others safety.
A different type is when uncooperative patrons, for whatever reason, intentionally break rules and do not cooperate with your attempts to correct the problem

The Best Approach is to Prevent Problems before they occur

• Achieve the respect of patrons
• Encourage their responsible behavior
• A lifeguards appearance and behavior influence patrons
• Dress and behave PROFESSIONALLY at all times
• Enforce policies, rules and regulations fairly and consistently

Inconsistent enforcement can confuse and frustrate patrons and lead to behavior problems and unsafe conditions. Lifeguards should also obey all the rules they enforce.

Responding to Problems

• Anticipate problems
• Do not overreact
• Find neutral ground
• Focus on behavior, not the individual
• RESPECT patrons' feelings

Responding to problems

• Be firm, fair and friendly
• Do not pretend to know it all
• Use suspension as a last resort
• Recognize learning situations
• The more experience you have, the more effective you will be

UNCOOPERATIVE PATRONS
Some patrons let their fun get out of hand. Some may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Some get angry or embarrassed when corrected. Conflicts between patrons may keep them from paying attention to the rules. Regardless of the reason, lifeguards must act right away, since these patrons can endanger themselves and others.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

• Plan ahead before intervening
• Follow policies and procedures
• If you have difficulty handling a situation contact management
• Use the following steps for conflict resolution

Steps To Conflict Resolution

• Cool-off - Wait until those involved are feeling calm enough to talk
• State the Problem - Everyone gets an opportunity to express their version  
• State the feeling - Encourage person to state what they feel about problem
• State what you want - Person needs to state what they want to happen
• Resolve the conflict - After hearing both sides, decide if ready to resolve

If everyone is calmed down and seems open to a solution:
Separate if resolution is unlikely.
Have all parties apologize, without either having to accept blame.
Compromise.
Make light of situation to diffuse the tension, but do not anger or offend.
Seek help if all efforts fail.
Help all persons to share responsibility equally to resolve the situation.

Lifeguards and management set the tone for a safe, fun pleasurable experience by their training and experience. By intervening in problem situations, respecting cultural differences, appropriately accommodating patrons with disabilities, you help keep the environment safe and enjoyable for all patrons. Your effective interaction with the public is a powerful example for others to follow.

Lifeguard Duties & Requirements Summary

• Arrive 10 minutes prior to shift starting
• Appropriate bathing suits at all times
• Lifeguard marked suits, shirts or hats
• Check-in with managers upon arrival
• Proper equipment including whistle, first-aid kit, buoy, walkie-talkie

Lifeguard Duties & Requirements Summary

• Stay alert at all times
• Constant patron surveillance, sit up, no slouching, sleeping, etc.
• No cell phones or mobile devices for talking, text, listening to music
• No conversing with people or friends while on duty
• Never leave pool unattended

Lifeguard Duties & Requirements Summary

• No socializing around chairs by others
• Rotate positions as needed
• Skim pool when needed
• Shift will end half hour after patrons leave
• Cleaning bathrooms, picking up trash and changing bags required

Lifeguard Duties & Requirements Summary

• Make sure safety equipment is clean and in working order
• Hose down deck, sidewalks as needed
• Scrub tile and coping around top of pool
• Lost and found items should be placed in designated area
• Sweep, mop, clean and disinfect bathrooms, clean showers and toilets

Never compromise the safety of our patrons, the facility, fellow employees or yourself at any time.

All staff members and management must work as a team, in taking the proper precautions to ensure a safe and healthy environment, in order to create an inviting attraction for our patrons.