EFFECTIVE SURVEILLANCE FOR A LIFEGUARD | ALA

In Lifeguarding, Scanning isn't Always Seeing| Aquatics International  Magazine

Sometimes there are many job insecurity situations that many lifeguard services face. Whether due to a lack of foresight, organization or both human and material resources, it can cause a chain of errors that end up affecting the vigilance exercised by lifeguards.

For this reason, special attention must be paid to the front line where the effectiveness of a team can be affected to guarantee the safety of bathers and minimize risks and dangers. In this sense, it must be taken into account that there are two types of surveillance:

Static surveillance, which is carried out from a fixed point, be it a control tower or a proximity chair, must be in a nearby place that is easy to move around for the rescuer.

Dynamic surveillance is in which the rescuer moves from one point to another, covering a certain space, depending on the conditions of the environment where he is monitoring. This type of surveillance is carried out with human resources on the beach with material means such as quads, bicycles, off-road vehicles, and by sea by operating boats.

For this reason, it is advisable not to abuse these two surveillance systems, and the ideal is to seek balance in a lifeguard device, otherwise problems such as:

  1. Loss of concentration in fixed points after excessive daily exposure.
  2. Reduced effectiveness when carrying out an intervention, cancelling the possibility of responding to a simultaneous emergency in the work area when we only operate dynamically.
  3. Difficulty in detecting risk zones originating naturally (rip currents) or accidentally (polluting discharge) at points far from the static tower.

In this sense, it is important to develop a prevention, surveillance and assistance strategy using the resources that we really have, being 50% static surveillance and another 50% dynamic surveillance.  In this way we will contribute to the appearance of these factors:

  • Increased proactivity in prevention matters
  • Greater concentration and balance in the activity performed
  • Awareness of the work done by lifeguards
  • More information thanks to the closeness of the lifeguards with the bathers

Therefore, surveillance must be carried out by combining the static and dynamic parts. We will implement surveillance points according to the needs of each area. It is essential to work with the personnel assigned at each point and study the danger factors with the entire team (currents, recreational areas, maritime traffic, water sports, rocky seabed’s, etc.) to finally decide which signaling elements are going to be necessary at that point. day of service, as well as provision of aquatic pockets or checkpoints for two lifeguards in the water sheet to prevent and inform users of the dangers.

Also Check: Lifeguard training in New York

The importance of having a lifeguard company hired

Absence of lifeguards puts lives of bathers and swimmers in danger that is why lifeguard organizations around the world want to raise awareness of the importance of aquatic rescue and first aid. Drowning is one of the most frequent causes of accidental death, which is why it is important that aquatic areas with a large influx of people are well supervised.

Even the elite professional swimmers who compete in the Olympic Games have the assistance of these types of professionals for what could happen since precedents suggest that the presence of lifeguards never hurts.

What are the advantages of contracting the lifeguard services of a company?

The lifeguard is the person in charge of ensuring the safety of bathers, monitoring and preventing situations that may be a danger to people. That is why he must be alert at all times in order to intervene quickly and effectively in the event of an accident or emergency.

Some of these advantages can be:

  • Rescue people in the event of an accident or emergency situation that occurs in any aquatic environment
  • Execute  specific swimming techniques effectively and safely
  • Assist as first  responders in cases of accidents or emergencies
  • They prevent accidents or emergency situations in aquatic facilities to ensure the safety of bathers.
  • Keep the safety of both children and the elderly when taking a bath.
  • Prevent any mishap, injury or inconvenience that worsens the quality of the water and the use made of the pool by bathers.
  • Monitor the correct maintenance of the pool and facilities.

The institutions and organizations like The American Lifeguard Association who provide lifeguard training near me fully train and equip the lifeguards in training to be aware and attentive of the situations of the surrounding areas in order to prevent any mishaps.