We have no openings in Los Altos for lifeguards.
Lifeguards must be Red Cross or YMCA certified.
Lifeguards work approx 10:15 am -3:15 pm paying approx $50-$60/day.
Lifeguarding Brings Benefits and Responsibilities
Benefits
Your
actions can save a life. Lifeguards are hired because of what they are
capable of doing in an emergency. Being prepared and acting quickly can
save the life of someone in need.
Develop leadership, public
relations, conflict resolution and teamwork skills. Lifeguards are
looked up to as authority figures around the water. As a lifeguard, you
will be able to learn how to deal with conflicts between other
individuals and between yourself and others. Learning how to handle
tough situations and how to work as a team with other lifeguards can
prepare you for how to act in other areas of your life.
Gain discipline and decision-making skills that help prepare you for
your future. Dealing with the rigors of a profession will help you
learn how to balance work with the other elements of your life.
Disciplining yourself to arrive to work on time and prepared for the
day and accepting the responsibilities of on-the-job decisions as a
lifeguard develops character traits expected by many colleges and
future employers both in and out of the lifeguarding profession.
Responsibilities
With
all of the benefits of being a lifeguard, there come many
responsibilities as well. Your responsibility as a lifeguard is to
protect the lives of others as well as your own. You can do this in
several ways:
• Prevent injuries by minimizing or eliminating hazardous situations or behaviors.
• Enforce facility rules and regulations and educate patrons about them, as needed.
• Recognize and respond effectively to all emergencies. This may mean
using CPR, first aid, oxygen or an automated external defibrillator, if
needed and only if trained.
• Work with other lifeguards or staff when you need more help or equipment.
Good Ideas to Follow
Along
with basic professional responsibilities, you should also consider
personal responsibilities, like keeping your own body in top condition.
Some qualities and characteristics of a professional lifeguard:
•
Stay healthy and fit. Emergencies often call for a burst of strenuous
activity. Being fit helps you stay alert and gives you the energy
needed to respond to emergencies. Exercise, eat properly and drink
plenty of water to keep in top condition.
• Use sun protection. Overexposure to the sun can cause sunburn, skin
cancer, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Preventing these conditions
means using a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least
15 and wearing clothing, like a shirt and hat, to protect your head,
face and ears. Sunglasses with UVA/UVB protection for your eyes reduce
glare from both the sun and water, allowing you to survey the facility
with ease.
• Avoid alcohol and drugs. As with any job, drugs and alcohol keep you
from performing at your best. And when you have another person's life
in your hands, you must be able to think clearly and act quickly. Using
alcohol or drugs on- or off-duty can negatively affect your job
performance and jeopardize the safety of others.
• Appear professional. Being a responsible lifeguard includes being
well groomed and wearing your uniform only when on duty. Rescue
equipment should be kept with you and positioned for a quick response
at all times. Keep interactions with others short and do not let them
interrupt your primary responsibilities. And stay focused on your area
of surveillance at all times.