Here's the test to become a lifeguard in Sea Girt NJ. I don't know about Manasquan, but I'm sure it's similar. The test is actually done in a pool at the Atlantic Club? WTF? I know you have to be a certified lifeguard, yadayada, but is this test all you need to do aside from some other job-specific training? Scary.<br /><br />There will be a Pre Employment Swim and Stamina test at the Atlantic Club in Wall Township in May. The date is set for Sunday, May 4th at 1 pm or Saturday May 10th at 3 pm. New applicants will be at the first date on Sunday.<br />♦The pool test will be: A 500m test in 10 minutes or less.<br />♦The stamina test will be two parts: A 1 1/2 mile run in 12 minutes or less.<br />♦You will need to be at the outdoor pool (under the bubble) 15 minutes before the test. Please bring a towel, goggles etc., as they will not be provided for you. Please bring appropriate footwear for the run test.<br />♦There are NO EXCEPTIONS – you must complete both sections before working.
as a regular (paying) beach patron for decades and an ex-lifeguard myself i should mention the sea girt guards seem kind of soft. you know, drive around in vehicles all day sitting down. to be fair once i saw one of effect a successful rescue ALONE of a man at least 150 yards out in a fearsome hurricane surf rip. at neptune av.
That's crazy! Seems to me it would make sense to test someone in the environment in which they will be working. How does swimming in a pool show someone's ocean swimming ability? They need to be tested where there is at least a waist high wave out there and a little bit of a rip to see them operate in a real life situation. There's no waves, no rip, no wild life in a pool, just doesn't make any sense to me...
totally get where you're coming from & agree, but to play devil's advocate for a moment, it IS fairly tough to do an open ocean swim in the spring in the northeast/mid atlantic when the water's still sub-65 most years. SIC takes a 2 day approach to tryouts: day 1 is a 1/2 mile ocean swim followed by a 1 mile run that must be completed in 7min or less to remain in consideration for day 2. this is followed by an interview (for those who are have passed the previous 2 tests) for those candidates remaining after the interview, day 2 consists of a 500m pool swim in 10min. or less & a simulated ocean rescue: 200m sprint along the beach, out through the surf, short swim to a flag, then back to the beach.
its easy if you don't listen to the lawyers. in da good 'ol days - i'm rising from wheelchair - failing the test meant drowning. you know, an ARE YOU SURE? type situation...
i like this thread. seems on a surfing forum i like the stuff about swimming and lifeguarding. who knew? getting to KNOW me….getting to KNOW me...
the OCNJ lifeguards have been diluted by an 'everyone gets to play' mentality. 3 guards to a tower? weak kids who cant row a boat? its kind of a joke, likely similar other places too, unfortunately
Former mid-Atlantic guard here (NOT NJ) Its sad that some of those guys lose their **** about stuff like that. It was a main reason why I quit after three years. The insta-locals from PA need to have their bell wrung sometimes. They think just because they are on a D3 swim team and have a killer tan that they can run the show. Their is however a small percentage of really committed guards who are more concerned with the safety of the people around them and those guys are usually stoked that a photog is using their stand. I used to love when people would use my stand. It made me feel like I wasn't the enemy which is how most people see the beach patrol. It's a shame that Miller guy is ruining the reputation of the real guards. Just try to remember that in the winter when those guys are back in west PA you'll be getting shacked silly with no one around.
the boat hasn't been a relevant lifesaving tool in 30 years. it's a good skill to have, as it's one more way to be out on the water, but in 10+ years as an ocean lifeguard, i've never once done a rescue via boat, nor have i ever considered it. swimming or rescue board is far faster/more efficient.
i agree...like i said, it's a good skill to have. but most cape may & atlantic county beach patrols put far too much emphasis on it, IMO.
Jersey I believe in proper grammar, especially difference between there and their. Jersey has approximately 127 miles of shore line, population of 8.9M with heavy load increases in the summer as individuals from other states, especially PA and NY descend on the state's shore points. New Jersey is also one of the most diverse states in the union, and given it's proximity to the melting pot that is NYC, and PA - not too diverse, lease progressive state in the North east- alot of different people coalesce in a small area, tempers will flare, and understanding will occur, this does not mean that Jersey, and it's inhabitants are rude, obnoxious, or a-holes. There's alot of culture in NJ, and one's failure to realize it's underpinnings are surely to misinterpret what NJ and it's culture is all about. The lifeguard seemed like a prick. Yes, we have those, along with the other 49 states in the union. Jersey rocks. End of discussion. What's good? In
the only lifeguards that deserve my respect are the ones on Oahu on the north shore.those are real watermen,real lifesavers,not some dumbazz senior working his school summer break off.anyone know how much they get paid?.i was a lifeguard for the local pool I lived in many years ago,i made 7 bucks an hour,that was like 11 yrs ago.i don't feel going to the beach deserves 10 of my dollars.the last time I payed to get on a beach was for a sandy hook season pass for 50 bucks and that's only because I was there every day.i havnt really seen the hook since sandy,i went and surfed during the winter but didn't notice anything different
The boat isn't a relevant tool because the lifeguard don't let people swim out any distance before they whistle them back if its further than the guard is comfortable. That's not an entirely unreasonable concept at a guarded beach. But, on Oahu or other places where the guards are watermen, the distance is much greater and conditions more severe before you are restricted - especially since they use watercraft. If you can't handle a rescue board, rowboat etc. You shouldn't life guard. You should be able to make it to the person and use the tools of the ocean.
Also, saying that a boat isn't a relevant tool for ocean rescue is just foolish. You get three kids swept out in a rip and you'd be beggin you knew how to properly handle a skiff.
couldn't disagree more. The lifeguards who train and do tournaments and compete in nationals are (in some cases) some of the best athletes in the USA. Monmouth County places very high in national lifeguard competitions. Granted they aren't as versed in handling north shore like surf conditions but they are excellent swimmers, rowers, paddlers etc. If you have a swimming background and you have a decent amount of surfing and ocean experience you can handle surf lifesaving in most places in the world.
read what i posted, reefscar. read it carefully. i did not say A boat, i said THE boat. beach patrols in cape may & atlantic counties in nj remain hopelessly mired in the past & station dory style rowboats on the beaches, ostensibly to use on rescues. but as i said, they've been obsolete for more about 30 years. a jetski on the north shore of oahu is completely different. also, i've pulled 2 kids & a 230lb man in on a paddleboard.
