Not everyone is cracked up to be a lifeguard. Guarding can be both very stressful and extremely dangerous. At any given moment a guard may be responsible for watching dozens of people in or around water. And as if that isn’t difficult enough, lifeguards may be forced to deal with strong rip currents, inclement weather, or thousands of other situations. As with any profession, there are several traits that are important to have and develop. A lifeguard must demonstrate proficiency in several areas to become good at the job.
Must be Responsible
Irresponsible people do not make good lifeguards. The primary responsibility of a lifeguard is to prevent drowning and other injuries. A good lifeguard must be willing to enforce rules and educate guests on safety procedures and protocol. Also, there may be any number of hazardous situations or dangerous practices that a lifeguard must eliminate. As we are dealing with life and death, the responsibility taken on by a lifeguard is immense.
Always Prepared
Lifeguards are able to fulfill their responsibilities when they are prepared. It is very important that lifeguards not only prepare physically, but also mentally and emotionally ready to perform. To stay ready physically, there are several fitness programs specific to lifeguarding that you can use. Getting adequate rest, protecting yourself from exposure to sunlight, and staying hydrated are also ways to be physically prepared. Mental and emotion preparation is also very important. Lifeguards must maintain their skills and knowledge by frequent practice and reviews.
Excellent Communicators
Someone that is able to effectively communicate with many different people has a trait that is necessary to becoming a good lifeguard. As in any dangerous situation, you must be able to speak clearly with each individual involved in the situation and convey the importance of staying calm. It is also important that you are able to speak with people of differing skill levels and understandings of safety. One moment you may have to explain the importance of safety precautions to a group of children and the next moment you may have to warn a fellow guard of inclement weather that is approaching. No matter who you are communicating with it is important that you are effective in conveying your message.
Attentive & Patient
OK, so we threw an extra trait in for you. Lifeguards must be attentive. There will be thousands of people that they are looking after in any given season. It is important that a lifeguard is able to identify a potential drowning victim as they do not always cause a large commotion. Crowded pools, oceans, or water parks also make if very important that you are attentive of the details of every person in your area. In addition to being very attentive, you must also be patient. Every day there will be a new person breaking the rules which can put them, as well as you, in dangerous situations. It is a lifeguard’s job to patiently inform the offender of the safety violation and what they need to do to correct the dangerous action.
As we point out above, it takes an individual with a special set of skills and traits to be a good lifeguard. It is possible to develop and improve these traits and, to do so, it is imperative that you are always working on them. While not everyone is cut out to become a lifeguard, if you can master these set of traits you will be well on your way to becoming a good lifeguard.
