The final step (in this outline—you may think of more steps, and please share if you do…) is to hold lifeguard accountable for both their positive and negative actions. We ask a lot of lifeguards; tough hours, a repetitive task, 100% vigilance, and, on top of it all the pressure of knowing that lives are at stake if they should fail in their assigned tasks. Lifeguards are professionals, and should be respected and treated as such when they perform as professionals. Likewise, the consequences for failing to live up to the high standard set for them should be equally stringent. The best way to respect lifeguards as professionals is to pay them like professionals—not the low wages that YMCA and...
Another element to use to get the most out of your lifeguards is to make sure that they are completely engaged in their tasks when on duty. This is not an easy task when the majority of the time is spent scanning the pool—which any lifeguard will tell you can be a pretty boring job. But engagement is essential—a lifeguard that spends hours at a time sitting bored in the lifeguard stand won’t be ready to identify a guest in distress and react when an emergency occurs. So first, keep shifts as short as possible; optimally no more than thirty minutes without a break from scanning, and at least a ten minute break every hour. Next, train guards to be vigilant during operational hours. This includes...