DAY 2: Lifeguard on Duty

When I was eighteen, I became a certified instructor to teach the Red Cross’s Water Safety, Lifeguard, and First Aid & CPR courses. That season of life was very instructive, and I believe it helped point me toward my eventual vocation in education. But there are also things that I learned through those experiences on the water that have helped me understand how to be a lifeguard for people, not just at the pool, but in all of life.

Training & Preparation

Like all first responders, lifeguards train so that they are properly prepared to respond in a time of need. Lifeguard training requires a demonstration of both physical competencies and academic competencies.

There's a physical training required of lifeguards. A lifeguard must be a strong swimmer with a high level of endurance in the water, both for their own safety, but also for the benefit of those that may need to be rescued. One of the most challenging tasks of the certification course was the swim test. One of the swim test requirements required candidates to tread water for three minutes while holding a ten-pound brick above the water. Because both hands are holding the brick, this exercise required swimmers to tread water in place using only their legs. I had perfected an egg-beater kind of kick where my legs moved in small alternating circles, so this test was easy for me. Some days I would tread water with the brick for ten minutes or more just for practice.

But for those who couldn’t figure out the right leg kick, this was such a hard task. There were times I thought the trainee was at risk of drowning as we watched him exert so much energy kicking and splashing to barely hold the brick – and his head – above water. That was the make-or-break moment in the course for most people. After that, the swim requirements and the technical rescue skills came easy.

What I didn’t expect when I enrolled in the lifeguard course was all the academic content that was also required. In addition to the swim test, there is also an extensive written test. Lifeguards must be knowledgeable about rip currents and PH levels and supervisory techniques.

Together, the physical training and the classroom knowledge would combine for the skills assessment where each person would be required to make an appropriate rescue based on the various scenarios and how to use the right equipment properly in the process.

During those years, I would often get asked if I ever had to save someone? The answer to that is both yes and no. In all my years working as a lifeguard in an official capacity, I never had to make any serious rescues. On occasion, I would have to grab a kid who was struggling a little bit and guide her to the side of the pool or go help him from the deeper waters at the springs. But nothing immediately life-threatening.

The most serious rescue I was ever involved with happened at a time when I was not even working as a lifeguard.

A friend and I had just returned to a small marina in our rented johnboat and were unloading our snorkeling gear when another boat came racing up to the dock. There was a woman lying on the floor of the boat. She was soaking wet and unconscious. She had drowned before being pulled into the boat. Once they got her onto the dock, we assisted with CPR until the paramedics arrived. We weren’t on duty, but we were still able to respond.

And it reminds me of what the apostle Paul wrote to young Timothy: “Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not.”

In that moment at the dock, I was ready. My training had prepared me.

As Christians, there’s a preparation and readiness that needs to take place in our lives too. Our fitness matters, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. This why Paul also instructed Timothy in his first letter to him:

Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers. Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them. Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.

To be a lifeguard – to stand watch – means training for godliness so that we can be an example to others in our faith and love and life.

REFLECTION

How might others benefit when you commit to “training for godliness”?