Over the summer, I spend my time sitting by a pool, catching a nice tan, applying sunblock repeatedly (as everyone should). Although I am not doing it for leisure, I am doing it for a job. I am a lifeguard at my local town pool.
I started working there when I was sixteen years old. Every summer, I would be working forty hours a week at this pool. Most of the time the job is relatively easy. All you need to do is sit in the lifeguard chair and watch the water, but when it is time to make a save you need to be ready to quickly respond.
I have saved over 15 people in the course of my lifeguarding career. For some people, this may seem like nothing, but when you are a lifeguard this is a very high number for only four summers. My first save was my second day on the job. I am sitting at the station where the diving boards are, making sure to do a good job because I want to impress my boss. This man in his twenties is walking on the board looking as nervous as a bride on her wedding day. His friends were chanting for him to jump, and when he did, he had the look of fear in his eyes. The man started splashing his arms and yelling help, and this is where my panic set in. I have yet to make a real save, but I knew that this was the time. As I jumped in and swam to him, I began to think of the logistics. This man is over six-foot-tall and he easily weighs over two hundred pounds, and I am a 5’3” and weigh less than 140 pounds.
Fortunately, I was able to save him, and I brought him to the wall. Even though I was drowning myself. The man thanked me and then went right back in the pool where he could stand. And this made me think. Why do people who know they can’t swim go off the diving boards? Why do people risk their lives for the thrill of activities? Is it because they love the feeling of adrenaline? Is it because they know that there is someone there that could help them if need be? Is it because of peer pressure? Or are they not even thinking at all? I still to this day cannot figure out exactly why people do this, even after my fourteen other saves.
Mae,
I loved reading this post. I could not help but think you may be the only lifeguard I know who has saved someone while on the job. I have lots of friends who life guard but never have they had to do anything besides sit in the lifeguard chair and get a nice sun tan. I think you propose a good question as to why people make risks for this thrill. I think for a lot of people, they’re so passionate about something that they have a sense of pride and willingness to do it even if it means risking their lives. My cousin is a climber and does some extreme climbs or kayaks in deep, shark infested waters in Guam, but loves it so much that he won’t let the possibility of failure get in his way. Like with the person you saved, who knows what was running through his head. I think what he did was not smart, but maybe for him he wanted to see if he could do it. Anyways, thank goodness you were on the job!
Mae,
Wow it must feel so great to saves lives. I applaud you for your 15 saves! You bring up such an interesting point of view. I am also curious to know why some people put themselves in danger when they know the potential harmful consequences that their actions could have. From what I have seen, most of the time it is in fact because of peer pressure. I am sure that there are other reasons as well, but in the case of peer pressure, I really hope people could understand their personal strengths, and that their value is not based on whether or not they do what their peers want them to do.