MANITOUWADGE -- According to the World Health Organization, drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide, accounting for 7 per cent of all injury-related deaths. You can be part of the solution by becoming a certified lifeguard this spring.
On Tuesday evening, an information session open to both youth and adults was held at the Manitouwadge Rec Centre. Local National Lifeguard Society (NLS) instructor, Todd Begin, addressed a small, but attentive group of residents interested in learning about what skills and certifications are needed to become a certified lifeguard.
Becoming a guardian of the pool takes dedication and hard work, but it is certainly an achievable goal. Interested applicants need to be a minimum of 15 years of age and hold, or be willing to attain the Standard First Aid/CPR course. Those graduating from the class will earn their Bronze certificates, Bronze Cross Medallion and the NLS certification, qualifying them to become lifeguards at most swimming pools.
There are four items in which the applicant must show proficiency before graduating: Knowledge, skills, physical fitness and judgment. Students will be tested and assessed throughout the course while training in an array of topics, such as specialized dives and swimming techniques, first aid and injury management, object retrieval, rescue drills, observation skills and many other necessary skills.
Physical fitness, of course, is necessary for anyone wanting to serve as a lifeguard. Throughout the course, your strength and endurance will be verified through many interesting challenges. Understanding your abilities, limitations, duties and priorities are all very important components of keeping everyone, including yourself, safe.
There are many benefits to becoming a certified lifeguard. There are lots of jobs available; you can stay close to home or work just about anywhere in the world. Imagine being a lifeguard at one of the resorts or clubs in a tropical hot-spot.
It’s not only about jobs and sunshine, though. Taking the courses and earning the required levels teaches you life skills that you will take into your personal life.
“Lifeguarding has so much to offer,” says qualified NLS instructor, Todd Begin, enthusiastically. “It builds character and confidence. People are afraid that they’ll freeze and forget everything if they actually had to rescue somebody, but when something does happen, you’ll find you’re intensely focused on the job at hand. You can do it; that’s what you’re trained to do.”
There’s still time for both young folks, 15 years and older, and adults to get on the growing list of interested applicants. A lifeguard course is being organized for residents of Manitouwadge in the early spring of 2022. You can contact Nickie Chik at Programmer@manitouwadge.ca for more information, or if you want more details about the courses and requirements, go to the Lifesaving Society’s website.
So, what are you waiting for? Take the plunge and become a lifeguard this spring.