NJ Lifeguards

Exactly. They only touch the ocean in the summer months. Sometimes just a warm body in a chair to make bennys feel safe.

 

Exactly. They can swim in a pool but not much experience in the ocean besides taking a little training. I also noticed a lot of them are fat (both boys and girls). How can they save anybody?

 

Fat floats.....

 

I got caught in a rip when I was about 10 along with about 5 other people and might not be here today if not for a lifegaurd.

The real issue with lifegaurds and surfers here in NJ comes from their bosses at the city level. Every town is different. Surfers should be free to surf so long as they aren't presenting a risk to bathers. There is nothing stupider than keeping surfers out of the water when the waves are big and they aren't letting bathers past knee deep anyway or on days when the weather sucks or the water is freezing and the water is empty of swimmers. My son is surfing in Atlantic City this morning instead of our home town because the guards there have a more reasonable approach to surfers.

 

This was years ago in Lavallette. The guards stopped my son and I from making a big sand castle. They said the week before, some kid was digging a big hole and making a castle that collapsed on him. He had a hard time breathing and the guards had to dig him out. Parents were taking legal action against the guards/township for not responding sooner. Sometimes the people on the beach drive how the guards have to act.

 

as someone who uses the ocean year round, i have major issues with some douche who barely knows anything about waves and current dictating when and where i can surf. Ive saved more people than most guards anyway. In fact a few years ago i saved a girl caught in a heavy rip when the guard refused to go in.

 

Thousands of lives including children are absolutely saved by lifeguards every single year. Pay attention in September to the number of drownings even with a fraction of the people in the water versus the summer. Lifeguards can be a pain to surfers, but you have to understand that surfboards are dangerous and present a risk to people in the water so that's why they flag off certain areas. Simple to avoid, just go in the morning or after 5 if want the whole beach to surf without being compacted into an area and they're only there for 2 1/2 months anyway during the flattest time of the year.

NJ is the ultimate nanny state. They actually wanted to pass a state-wide law making it illegal to enter the water when no lifeguard is present.

http://nj1015.com/no-lifeguard-no-beach-asbury-beach-chief-wants-a-state-law-poll/

This would probably also affect boogie boarders as well and maybe even surfers. They've arrested surfers for trying to surf at belmar during a hurricane swell. I think that's why the animosity exists between surfers and lifeguards. It's an east coast thing. West coast(hawaii, california) lifeguards are nothing like this.

The towns want to restrict parking/limit beach access/50 million rules, but at the same time they want all those tourist $$$$ Give us your money and LEAVE! The amount of rules at some beaches in the mid atlantic are insane. They have dress codes at some boardwalks in nj. The amount of cops/ticket machines roaming around is insane. Rockaway tried to ban boogie boarding last year and I read in their rules that they don't allow swim fins. Swim fins are banned? Is this actually enforced? What a joke. Rockaway/jenks also ban anyone entering the water when lifeguards are off duty. Is this actually enforced? https://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_things_to_do/facilities/images/pdf/RockawayBeachRules.pdf

It sounds like Nazi beach patrol down there. It's not as bad up here. They should just concentrate on saving lives, not all this other crap. They're also too strict with the red flag/knee deep any time there's a waist to chest high swell. People should be able to swim in that. It's not an overhead hurricane swell where obviously you should restrict swimmers. Hire more lifeguards. They clearly bring in enough money. I used to go down there for vacation in the summer. SO much traffic, it would cost like 30 bucks in tolls to get there, beach tags for EVERY beach and you can't buy a pass for a few of them. They need to ease up

 

Comparing the number of drownings after Labor Day to July/August is moronic. That's when the ocean actually comes alive.

 

common sense is free

 

It depends on a lot of things, but in particular, what beaches you're talking about. For Pete's sake... if they're gonna require guards at pools, they'd better require them in the ocean. But I digress...

If guards aren't fit and properly trained, they're more dangerous to swimmers than not, because they lull the shoobies into a false sense of security. People don't think they have to watch their kids if they let them swim at guarded beaches. And that could mean trouble.

But physically fit, properly trained guards save lives every year. No doubt. My kid pulled to children out of a rip a few weeks ago, and absolutely saved their lives. No doubt. So for the simple fact that we charge to get onto beaches, we're morally and ethically compelled to protect people as best we can.

 

Many people are drowning in small swells. Ocean coming alive means 7 days out of the month with waves, maybe 4 days with solid dangerous swell. It's flat to small most of the time. I've seen so many people pulled out of the water by lifeguards I've lost count.

 

Social Darwinism would fix that pretty fast

 

Years ago I thought a surfer was your best chance of assistance in the water. Now, at least in ocmd, the surfers need the lifeguards. Bunch of goons in our beloved sport. The art of learning the ocean and her ways is gone. Every ahole from here to pennsyltucky takes one surf lesson, buys a walden, then jumps in without a clue as to water safety or surfing rules in general.

 

Because there are no more regulators.

 

Good on you Pump. That guard is a disgrace and should be publicly shamed

 

Well said but I see many guards that seem unfit these days. Also, add to the fact that they stop surfers from entering large surf even when swimmers aren't allowed. I know the guards are following town laws and maybe the town needs to change some rules. Maybe we don't charge for the beach, get rid of lifeguards and it's swim at your own risk. Our beaches would be nice and empty for locals.

 

The only life guards I like are females with big tits.
The rest are useless.....

 

Sitting on a lifeguard chair and "watching patrons" really isn't that difficult BUT you would be surprised at how hard it is for some.

There are some damn good lifeguards that deserve to be there and do a great job, but the majority is just high schoolers looking to meet chicks and get tan. Most of the type B lifeguards can't even swim much less in 2 ft surf.

I think it's a fair debate, i'm sure if the radio host got into trouble or was injured at the beach they would be quick to change their tune and would be quite happy there were lifeguards there.



Lastly. I think as surfers we overestimate how good others are at swimming "it can't be that difficult" we say but WOW some people really are non-swimmers. (Mostly day vacationers and what not) There would be a very significant increase in deaths and accidents without lifeguards. So many so that I don't think lifeguards could be removed morally. It would then fall on locals to do the work, but without the equipment and set up that lifeguards have if needed. So, I get it lifeguards can be real tools, and some are....but I think for the most part they do what they are there for which is watch the water so that the patrons can relax and enjoy the beach. I for one wouldn't want to sit and watch people swimming all day unless you at least threw me minimum wage per hour. Which is what most are making.

Sorry for the rant.

 

They're certified for open ocean and are in excellent physical condition even if they appear overweight. They test them. It's quite rigorous. Are you familiar with the test? They have to be able to swim 1/4 mile in the ocean in less than 10 minutes and do a bunch of rescue drills including a torp and reel, tube, and board rescue. Many surfers wouldn't be able to pass it.

Now where some are lacking is in ocean knowledge. Understanding shore pound, cross shore currents, different types of waves, time between sets. This is only gained through experience in the ocean during swell events, even small swells.

People have drowned in pools. Experienced surfers have drowned. They can have a medical emergency in the water, they can faint, hit their head with surfboard, hit their head on a rock, or even get tired out in big swells and too many sets at one time. Inexperienced people in the water can barely swim. It's an athletic skill just like anything else. Everyone is not an experienced swimmer.

 

I just hate hearing the fkn whistles, they make me nervous and I always think they're yelling at me.