Lifeguards

which is actually kind of sad if you think about it....
the first aid it really important of course...but it's a good thing everyone has rescue tubes because a good bunch of them couldn't swim that well...

it's much easier to fail the ellis course though, especially during the group situations. if one person screws up, everyone redoes the course. (Basically you're supposed to work as a team, so you should correct any mistakes that are made).

 

I'm doing the ICP (Graduate) course starting in April 2008 for 6 months & have been offered a place as a lifeguard.

Really excited!! See you all there

xx

 

was being nosy....not going to be a lifeguard but i am a lifeguard...and thought i would just say how good the training is...i loved it! ENJOY!
xx

 

Hi

Does anyone have any info about the shift patterns lifeguards have and how many hours a week they get etc??

I ready somewhere that the parks are open 10-6 and that you're there an hour before and an hour after?! Is that the normal shift?

Many thanks in advance!!

xx

 

starting off we'd work about 7-6:30 I think. The park hours get longer as the summer goes on, so they break it into 2 shifts when it gets busier (6:30am-1 or 3 and then around 1 or 2 til 11 if there's extra magic hours, if not say til 9) That does sound like a pretty normal shift for the beginning or end of the summer. You get there two hours before the park really opens, an hour of straightening chairs/making the beaches clean/inservice that kinda thing, and then they had extra magic hour too, but it was always pretty empty for that first hour. I was usually scheduled around 40 hours a week, but i found it pretty easy to give away shifts/pick up shifts if I needed to. I don't know how it worked at the resorts or at blizzard though.

 

Thanks for that

Just another quick question, i've been reading thru the info we've been sent and it says set aside $50 for work shoes - but i don't remeber seeing lifeguards tramping round in black work shoes last time I was there lol!

So do the lifeguards wear trainers/flip flops?!

xx

 

It depends, could be either white trainers or all black sandals (or crocs). Can't wear flip flops, because it's too hard to run in them i guess. I ended up getting 2 pairs of sandals at walmart for 13$...hahaha but my feet were SO blistered and gross for the first month, if I go back next year I'm buying some at home and breaking them in!

 

Thanks for that - i'll be on the lookout for sandals in the new year when they put all the xmas stuff away in the shops!

I was racking my brains trying to think of what the lifeguards had on their feet when i was there in summer and all I could remember was seeing a pair of shoes on a rock at the top of the slide while the lifeguard was in the water helping people! Couldn't even remember what shoes they were!

I've been reading a lot about the deep/shallow water guards - how does it all work with regards to slides/lazy river etc - does even just go on a roation??
And whats it like to work in one of the hotels?

Sorry for all the questions!

xxx

 

Shallow water guards can only work in shallow water areas where as Deep water guards can, and will, cover all areas. You'll be on a rotation where ever. I worked in a resort (Yacht and Beach, who's pool area is so large it is considered a water park by Florida Law(random bit of Disney info)) and we where on each stand for 30 mins with a five minute rotation period.

Meaning that the whole "bump" (moving the guards from one stand to another, usually in groups of five) was meant to go through in 5 mins...it didnt happen that often. If your starting a bump, always get their a couple of minutes early. It means that the person on the end will get their full break time.

I liked working in a resort instead of a water park though at the beginning I was a little disappointed. Working in a resort is slightly less stressful though you will see your fair share of emergencies. I dont know what it was like at the parks but in the resort we also got to help with the kids club and the cleaning of the pool area. Everything had to be tidy before we got away for the night :

Shifts can vary. In early June and late August I was working ten hours shifts cause the pool was only open that long and they didnt want to split it in two. On the bright side it meant that I was on four days and off for three During the peak time in the summer I was on eight hour shifts (give or take an hour) about five days a week. Those would include an hours worth of cleaning in the morning and at night. That is one part I dont miss

I whole heartly agree on the whole shoe thing. Buy them before you go out as I still have scars where mine rubbed/cut into my feet. Word of warning though, all shoes worn around the pool will start to stink after a month or two (and when i say stink, I mean stink!). Maybe taking two pairs would be a good idea, so that you still have one pair when you decide to chuck the others.

 

Thanks for all the info guys!

Just one final question - do the sandals have to be black or white? and as long as they're secure round your feet (i.e. not flip flops) they'd be ok??

xx

 

They have to be black, and they need a strap over the top of your foot and around your heel, thats the best way I can describe them

At the water parks, you get either a deep or shallow rotation, it depends how many deep guards there are. So if youre a deep guard, you may only get a deep rotation half the time.

 

My friend is a Lifeguard at the Contemporary resort and was selected for a second professional internship so now she is a manager over recreation. She made it through the course alright, and she was the only english speaking student which made the whole teamwork thing kinda' difficult since everyone else spoke spanish, she did just fine

 

Hey where was ur friend from??
I really wanted to do the recreation internship gutted its not offered to internationals anymore

 

ahhhh I am sorry about that I wonder why it is not offered to internationals anymore. My friend is from the U.S. She had a few international people that she worked with so I will ask her if they were in recreation or just lifeguards or if she knows anything about that.

 

Okay, I am not sure if you are talking about a specific professional internship or just the college internship, but Lifeguard is a division of recreation according to my friend who is in a professional internship as a manager of recreation. I don't know if this helped or answered your question, please let me know if it didn't and I will try again