- April 19, 2024
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Photo by Annette LeBeau
Photo by Annette LeBeau
Photo by Lisa Sifonte
Photo by Lisa Sifonte
Photo by Dave Bowers
Photo by Doris Boyden
Photo Jack Brabb
Photo by Mike Jones
Photo by Mike Jones
Photo by Mike Jones
Photo by Tony Caruso
Photo by Annette LeBeau
Photo by Annette LeBeau
Photo by Doris Boyden
Photo by Doris Boyden
Photo by Doris Boyden
Photo by Jack Brabb
Photo by Doris Boyden
Photo by Ed Siarkowicz
Editor's Note: This is the second installment in an occasional series, in which the Flagler Beach Photography Club explores the worlds of emergency responders. This week, the photographers share their recent visit to a lifeguard training with Flagler Beach Ocean Rescue.
So you want to be a lifeguard? After passing stringent physical requirements and CPR certification, recruits must perform a taxing “sea rescue” of their trainers. Flagler Beach Photography Club members witnessed such a test last month to witness the training.
Recruits must be at least age 16, ocean-swim for 500 meters in less than 10 minutes, run 1/2 mile on the beach in less than 3 minutes, 30 seconds, and be able to drag a “victim” using special leverage techniques for 20 yards over the sand. Half of the 2016 recruits are women.
There is a 50% attrition rate among recruits during 60 training hours over three weekends. They also must pass a drug test and are randomly tested throughout the season.
Captains David Petkovsek and Andreaus Stocker each have over 2,000 hours of experience, and they certify recruits for the U.S. Lifeguard Association.
Once trained, lifeguards are at their posts on Flagler Beach seven days a week from Memorial Day to Labor Day and otherwise only weekends as funding allows. Ocean Rescue is funded by the city of Flagler Beach and Flagler County and supplemented periodically by fundraisers to purchase lifeguard uniforms.
On Flagler beach alone there are over 200 rescues a season. The guards are even more proud of another statistic: By forewarning or removing beachgoers from dangerous situations, they prevent an estimated 1,000 rescues a season.
Lifeguards are trained to notice “pre incident indicators” so they can anticipate a need for a rescue:
1. Unskilled swimmers
2. New Styrofoam or rental surfboards
3. Inadequate physical fitness
4. Inappropriate swimwear (jeans and T-shirt instead of a swim suit)5. Alcohol consumption (half of all holiday rescues are related to alcohol consumption)
1. Talk to the lifeguards to get information on conditions and safest places to swim.
2. Even experienced swimmers can get into trouble, so always swim within view of the lifeguard towers.
3. Fishermen, surfers, and swimmers tend to clump together. Leave safety buffers between groups.
