Should lifeguards wear cowboy boots?

The first section is multiple choice, the second is true/false, the third is essay.

Be prepared to defend your answers.

Also be prepared to ‘defend’ why some people would think that other answers than yours are correct.

Section #1

Consider each of the following from these points of view, should a guard do these if:

a) the pool is very crowded

b) there are only one or two swimmers

c) there is only one guard on duty

d) there are lots of guards on duty

e) at a small pool (example: 20 meters by 25 meters)

f) at a large pool complex with more than one pool (example: a 20 yard by 25 yard diving well and a 25 yard by 50 meter racing pool)

g) some combination of the above

h) any time or place

i) never

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(Almost all of the people pictured here were NOT guarding when the pictures were taken.)

1) guard while wearing cowboy boots

2) guard from a position sitting on a starting block

3) guard from a position lying on your side on the pool deck

4) guard from a position sitting on the pool edge with your feet in the water if it’s a really hot day

lifeguard lying on his side: lifeguard sitting at pool edge:

5) explain diving board rules to a patron who asked

6) explain how to dive to a patron who asked

7) make a phone call from a pool deck level phone while watching the pool the whole time

8) play a radio quietly

9) play a headphone radio quietly

10) walk a little and do stretching exercises

11) come to work after drinking only one beer with a big lunch

12) do homework on a laptop or apply sunscreen

13) play cards or a guitar if you are really bored

lifeguard with laptop: lifeguard applying sunscreen:
lifeguard with guitar: lifeguard playing cards:

14) wear mirrored sunglasses

15) ignore brother stealing sister’s towel

16) ignore a kid crying off in the corner

17) ignore kids daring another kid to dive off the high dive

18) drink water from an unbreakable bottle

19) drink a coke

20) eat lunch

21) let little kids sit in the lifeguard stand

22) if it’s really cold, guard in a sleeping bag

23) twirl your whistle

24) guard from a position on a three meter board

lifeguard in sleeping bag: guard twirling whistle: lifeguard on 3 meter:

25) turn your back to the pool briefly to talk to someone

Duong Ernie Andrea and Mugneca:

26) use your rescue tube as a footrest

lifeguard at national park pool using rescue tube as a footrest: april 7 2007 lifeguard at SJSU with feet on rescue tube: Avery Aquatic Center lifeguard with feet on rescue tube: Las vegas hotel lifeguard with feet on rescue tube: Las vegas hotel lifeguard in a stand on duty with his feet on his rescue tube instead of having the tube ready for a rescue

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Section #2

true/false       should a guard ever:

1) accept jewelry (a watch, ring, etc.) from a patron to hold while they swim

2) Three kids were dropped off by a parent. The parent can’t be reached by phone. The kids say the parent won’t return for five hours and the kids don’t have the money to pay. Let the kids swim anyway.

3) Three kids were dropped off by a parent. The parent can’t be reached by phone. The kids say the parent won’t return for five hours and the kids don’t have the money to pay. Let the kids pick up trash to earn their swimming.

4) promise a parent they will remind a kid it’s 4 o’clock and time to go home

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Section #3

lane lines blend into each other:

The De Anza College racing pool is 25 yards by 50 meters. When standing at one end the lanes lines at the other end blend into each other and a swimmer at the surface or at the bottom can’t be seen clearly. Walk around our pool, carefully sit in a lifeguard stand and decide for yourself how much surface area you would feel comfortable guarding.

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Most of the people pictured here were NOT guarding when the pictures were taken. They are (from the top down, L to R)

American Red Cross lifeguard (LG) and Water Safety Instructor (WSI, the Red Cross designation for certified swim teacher) Shahin Zonoobi;

LG, WSI, Lifeguard Instructor (LGI) and Florida 2003 Ironman Mike Rivers;

LG, WSI, and LGI Ann Marie (Urbach) Walters;

LG and LGI Wendy Sato;

LG, WSI and LGI Yanik Rodriguez;

LG Ariel Bown;

LG, WSI, and LGI Alan Ahlstrand (who is listed as author or editor of over 100 books currently on sale at Amazon.Com);

LG Victor Pettyplace;

LG, LGI (and Eagle Scout) Paul Barron;

LG and LGI Duong Nguyen, (and who?), (in the bleachers LG (then USAF Senior Airman, more recently Sergeant) Andrea Anello with a puppy).

These guards using their rescue tubes as a footrest were on duty:

a lifeguard at a national park hotel pool, a guard at a California University, a guard at a California private University, and a lifeguard at a Las Vegas hotel pool.

not rescue ready is a collection of more real, not posed, photos of lifeguards on duty who are not ready to do a rescue, and equipment/facilities also not rescue ready, for discussion in my lifeguard training classes.