School is out, summer is in full swing and your community pool is only a few days from opening, but don’t forget the most important part of the pool- safety! If you’re a teenager looking for a summer job, curious about what it’s like to spend all summer in the sun or want to make some great friends, join your pool´s lifeguard team!
Becoming a lifeguard is a quick but tough process. If you want to become a lifeguard in the United States you need to have a license from the Red Cross. You can find courses by going to their website or looking for when your pool teaches classes. During your training, you will be taught how to properly handle an emergency situation, perform CPR and, of course, save people from drowning- among many other skills. I interviewed three of my coworkers at our local community pool and asked them about their favorite parts of being a lifeguard.
Audrey Dallman is a senior who has worked at the pool for over three years now. She said that her favorite part of being a lifeguard is, ¨flexible schedule and good pay.¨ The flexible hours allow her to work, but not let it dictate her summer so she can spend time with her friends.
Although you have plenty of time to spend with your friends, you can make many new friends working at the pool. A junior, Norah Gruel told me, ¨I love working with my coworkers and interacting with the community. Everyone that works at the pool is very nice and It’s really special when you get to contribute to making the community a more fun and safer space.
Finally, I asked Kyle Hoffman about his opinion on why more people should become lifeguards. He said, ¨it’s a good life skill to have.¨ and told me about how sometimes, even in everyday life away from the pool, he will see something almost go wrong, and with his skills from lifeguarding he is able to help.
If you’re in the market for a job this summer, consider lifeguarding!
