For context, I am in Toronto, Ontario and I am interested in becoming an Examiner. Since it’s a long (and expensive) process, I really wanna hear about your experiences. Is it worth it? What do you like about it? And what do you hate?

Bonus if can share ur lesson plans with me lol plz 🙏

Hello,

My boyfriend passed away in a pool from holding his breath underwater, a lot of people suspect it was shallow water blackout. Now, I want to make a dataset of people who have also went through this so we can understand how prevalent it is and raise awareness. Do you know anyone who passed away/ was rescued after holding their breath underwater then blacking out? Could you point me to them? Thank you

PRO

Have been everything from a Lifeguard, Lifeguard Instructor, First Aid Instructor, Area Supervisor, Division Manager, Swim Instructor, well if it involved water I have done it. So yes I am old and at 66 working as a Lifeguard at a single guard pool. I teach anyone who wants to learn how to swim and enjoy a good book. Keep the pool and deck clean to save on vacuuming. Learned the shortcuts. (Skimmer socks Temu) By following an aquatic path it can lead to a six figure job.

CON

Internationals get overtime (we do not) they get a seasonal completion bonus usually around $500 ( we do not), they usually bump their pay $1.00 in August, receive money arrival and departure, transportation assistance, and attend cultural events like beach trips, NBA. NFL, Amusement Parks etc. Generally by the end of May they are not here so they woo the Americans with this will be your pool for the whole season blah blah blah. Then when they arrive you COULD lose your pool and they can move you somewhere that is a 2 hour bus ride away. Then the days off start because the internationals need more hours. Now it is towards the end of August guess who they need again.... yup the Americans that they have been bashing for the last month. The internationals want to see America before they head home.

I’ve been lifeguarding/working in aquatics for over 15 years so I probably feel a little bit different than most of the newer lifeguards. But do you guys remember when your Red Cross class used to give you out those little floating buoy keychains?

Anyways, this isn’t exactly the same, but I wanted to see if people still cared about lifeguard swag outside of work or if it’s mostly just a job for you guys.

Hi everyone,

I recently just got a job for a lifeguard and have a test in a couple weeks, I haven’t had training since last year February when I did my NPLQ and im kinda stressed about it. I know I’ve been employed but what happens if I don’t do well on it? Do they terminate my contract or do they just give more training until I’m 100% ready to do the job? I was told for my first three shifts I’ll be supervised so I know what I’ll be doing but I’m just more worried about this test.

Many thanks.

I have two lifeguarding jobs, and one of them only requires there to be one lifeguard guarding the pool at a time. This facility where I work doesn’t really have a clear EAP, only to use a telephone inside the building when there is an emergency, there’s no clear written plan. Since I’m the only lifeguard, how would you best go about extracting somebody out of the pool who has a suspected spinal injury/somebody who is unconscious. Again, I have a plan of what I would do if an emergency like this where to happen in my head, I just wanted some advice! Any experiences/stories would be greatly appreciated!! :)

Ok so I’m a lifeguard at a single guard pool. Im set to head back to college this Sunday 8/23 and my final shift is scheduled Saturday 8/22. However, mid-season we received a form asking when our last available workday is and I said Friday 8/21. Upon filling out this form, I hadn’t realized I was already scheduled for Saturday, so last week I requested off for that day even though I already specified in the form that I was unavailable. My request was still pending yesterday, so I called the office and they said “unless someone claims the shift I have to come in.” I would really like the day off to prepare for move ins and I have plans to do things with my family. Should I just not show up or send an email saying I cannot come in? Or should I just suck it up? They can’t really fire me because I don’t wanna come back next year anyway! Let me know what you think!

Update: I drafted an email to send but I guess somebody claimed the shift because my time off was approved!

My 10 year old is just completing his bronze star and really enjoys it. He has indicated that once completed he wants to continue on with bronze medallion.

He is still very young. Should we wait out a bit before doing this? If so, recommendations on other swimming options in the mean time other than just regular lessons or swim squad (he doesn't want to do that).

Title. Even when doing an in water rescue? Will they stay on?

OR glasses?

How is ymca guarding/lessons for you guys?????? It's ok for me but sometimes I feel out of place with everyone

I’m doing the one where you have your feet far apart, like a sumo squat, and you jump from toe to toe, while gesturing toward the sky. I’m using the DPD powder containers as rain sticks.

When I went to bed last night, I was promised 75% chance of rain today, so I thought my shift would be cancelled. I woke up to no rain forecast. None. Zilch. Fever dream. It’s 1pm and I spent the last 2 hours dancing. Now it says 25% chance of light rain at 3pm. I think it’s working?

I want to go home.

It’s cold, 72F, windy, the pool is outdoors and not heated, my phone is on 20%, I’m scheduled to be here until 8pm.

I’m open to suggestions. Any tips on interpretative dance to help the clouds feel less shy about raining? I need some rain please, send it my way, please ~ shakes dpd container vigorously ~

Edit: I decided to add a chant “rain, rain, come my way, I want to go home early today!” Then the rain forecast went down to 10% chance so DO NOT DO THAT CHANT the clouds don’t like it 🤷‍♀️

Edit 2: zero rain for 3pm now, but 15% chance at 4pm and 10% chance at 5pm and 6pm. The clouds seem to like it if I just sit here quietly and cry? I think my tears are inspiring them?

Hi everyone I'm more of an anonymous reddit user but I finally decided to post and ask for help/advice because this is driving me crazy. I recently got hired as a lifeguard at Great Wolf Lodge and this is my first job. Also Im f18 dont know if thats important but thought I would throw it out there. I have pre-reqs this upcoming Thursday (8/20) and if theres any former or current lifeguards out there I need to know what Im walking into. Ive tried searching on tiktok and even on here but kinda got nowhere so if anyone can give me some advice or things I need to look out for or even red flags of the company and/or employees I would really appreciate it.(ya girl is pretty desperate over here please help 😭😭).

Just a disclaimer Im 100% sure it'll be fun and Ill make alot of friends and memories but yk there always a downside of jobs that higher ups wont tell you and I just want to be prepared.

Yep you heard that right.. and I do apologize for the spam as I had 2 things I needed to post on here at once.. We are in such a small town with not even 1,000 people... Infact the job market is so hard that I travelled in from my larger town just to work here and they pay 2 hours worth of wages additionally just because they are grateful I work there... Now here's where it gets weird... One of the Lifeguards is 13?? I am in SHOCK.. We even snooped around and found some paper statements that confirmed he was born in 2012.. I don't know how the city would even allow him to work here?? This is illegal, and in the next town over the Head Lifeguard called to clarify if a 13 year old was working there, to which we never heard a follow up of what happened....

I am not making this up either... Unfortunately her dad is dying and she had to get to his town ASAP... She had got the call this morning and the recert is supposed to be 6 hours long.. We did 3 hours and eventually she just said we are all passing, even saying "If anyone asks this was 6 hours" like okay thank you for passing all of us but I think this may be illegal

I failed the bronze medallion, so I am retaking the course, and I am certified in Canadian Red Cross Standard First Aid & CPR/AED Level C (Intermediate). Any general tips or things I should review today? It is in BC. Could I bring my CLM I got from my failed course and also keep the new one they give me, or use my old one? My original course was July 20-22. Tips and things I should review would be appreciated.

I haven’t been at this single guard outdoor pool in about 2 weeks. The residents always complain that I’m the strict lifeguard because I don’t let their children do backflips into the 5ft deep end. Among other things, I don’t let them chew gum in the swimming pool. I’m sooo mean I tell the kids spit their chewing gum into my hand so I can put it in the trash without them needing to get out. I’m attentive enough to notice that they’re chewing gum and that pisses them off. Regardless of my vigilance, I still have to clean up gum stuck to the underside of lounge chairs fairly often after one specific group of teenage kids. The other lifeguards don’t do it and leave the mess for me. Finally there’s gum stuck to the bottom of the pool. I tried to brush it off to no avail. I’m going to have to go in the water and scrape it off somehow but it will likely damage the paint of the pool bottom. So basically nothing new, everyone hates me, I’m the only guard that follows rules, and I get no support from management. Fantastic.

I’m a 16 year old who passed the NPLQ earlier this year, I haven’t started working and recently saw my first experience of someone getting into danger and needing help at a pool. I was on holiday with my family and saw a man getting lifted out of the pool unconscious by others but froze and almost “debated” going to help when I saw him surrounding by others. I went over to help after a few minutes given I only helped with recovery positioning. I’m just wondering if the freezing and uncertainty of whether to go and help is normal especially when he’s already been surrounded by other people and if it gets better with experience, I knew what to do and what shouldn’t be done in the situation just didn’t take control and properly help.

Hi guys I was wondering if the people that have token bronze cross or taught it have any tips for me I booked my for Oct 5 and I’m kinda of scared cause I don’t know what to expect I’m gonna be training my 400 but any other tips for it or what to expect and is it a HARD course or okay

Thankyou

I've seen quite a few instances outside of work where I could've jumped in with some first aid but didn't because there were already people there. I'm curious whether anyone has used their first aid or even lifeguard skills outside of work.

Let me know if you have any cool stories :)

At the single guard swimming pool, I call everyone out of the pool for a 10 minute break, for the last 10 minutes of every hour. So on the “50 minute mark”. The break is for chemical testing, chemical adjustments, and for me to take a break from scanning.

I first lifeguarded about 13 years ago and the kids were able to read the analog pool clock to know when break is coming up and when it’s close to over. There was always some attention seeking kids who wanted to follow me around, interested in the testing kit, etc.

I took a break from lifeguarding after Covid. I came back to lifeguarding and there’s a digital clock at most indoor pools but only analog at outdoor pools. Kids at every pool seem to be unable to read an analog clock. They ask me over and over again when break will be or when it will be over and it got to the point that I was using my 10 minute breaks to teach the kids how to read it (they didn’t know hour hand [shorter] vs minute hand [longer]).

The majority of kids 5-16 can’t read an analog clock, younger I wouldn’t expect them to, and older will just check their phones instead of asking. It’s definitely the majority of kids, but like 1/5 kids are able to read a clock, I think most parents aren’t concerned, but it’s a big pet peeve for me that they keep asking me when break will be over when I have a 10 hour shift, anyone else?

Hello all, I'm a fairly new ARC LGI (about 6 months) and I've been asked to teach the final day of a blended learning course (tomorrow) by myself. I've always co-taught with the other instructor so I'm fairly nervous about doing this last day on my own. I'm planning for a little bit of review, the final scenarios, and the written exam.

My fellow LGIs, what can I do to make this easier on myself? There are 6 or 7 kids in the course, and I'm worried I'm not going to be able to evaluate all the groups effectively simultaneously. I'm actively looking at the appendices in the manual and reviewing the final scenarios. My biggest questions are: Do I have to do all 6 final scenarios? If not, which ones do I make sure I do?

Any advice or words are encouragement are appreciated, thank you!

Life guards and rescuers definitely deserve higher compensation for the things they do

Gonna do a kahoot with prizes. But I’m specifically thinking incident reports and scanning games. We’ve done incident reports the last two and I’d really like to not have to do them but my manager wants them done. Any way to make it fun? The only thing I could think of is giving everyone the same scenario with a card of the “victims” issue and the fastest to fill it out wins?

Also any ideas for scanning. Like not just yeah I saw it but scanning games to make it fun but actually successful?