Lifeguarding and walking backwards

[Merman Chatfish]

I just got back from a meeting with our pool manager to discuss plans for this summer. One of the things she mentioned as I need to to stop "showing off". The other guards there think I am showing off when I walk backwards in certain areas as I move from chair to chair so I can watch the water as I move to a new location. Something I started when I started lifeguarding 10 years ago.
Poll time. What are your thoughts?

A. You are a lifeguard and you do the same.
B. You are a lifeguard and like the idea but don't do it.
C. You are a lifeguard and would hate working with me.
D. You are not a lifeguard but as a parent or swimmer you like the idea of a guard waking backwards to keep an eye on the pool.
E. You are not a lifeguard but as a parent or swimmer you think I am nuts.
F. Other (explain).

[Mermaid Jaffa]

No lifeguards walk backwards at my pool or even the old one where I used to live. Because kids can suddenly appeared and you can slip, trip and hurt yourself or the kid.

You ever just watch the kids at the pool? How some of them look like they don't care or are not aware of their surroundings and the people in it? Those are the ones I'm talking about. In fact my niece and nephew are exactly like that!:$ When they bump into someone, they look at them like its their fault they got in the kid's way, or walk over them in the wading pool like they own the place and never apologize!

Which is why Aunty never takes them to the pool anymore, its embarrassing and when one tries to coax a "sorry" out of them, its like trying to draw blood from a stone!!

[Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!]

I'm a lifeguard and I walk backwards. You don't want to take your eyes off the pool if you can help it, and you need to angle your body to face the swimmers (or poolside guests) so you can be ready to respond at a moment's notice if something happens. I thought that was textbook stuff, and if the other lifeguards can't step up, well then maybe the pool needs new lifeguards to accompany you.

[Merman Chatfish]

No lifeguards walk backwards at my pool or even the old one where I used to live. Because kids can suddenly appeared and you can slip, trip and hurt yourself or the kid.

You ever just watch the kids at the pool? How some of them look like they don't care or are not aware of their surroundings and the people in it? Those are the ones I'm talking about. In fact my niece and nephew are exactly like that!:$ When they bump into someone, they look at them like its their fault they got in the kid's way, or walk over them in the wading pool like they own the place and never apologize!

Which is why Aunty never takes them to the pool anymore, its embarrassing and when one tries to coax a "sorry" out of them, its like trying to draw blood from a stone!!

I always consider where other kids are and usually keep them in my peripheral as I walk.


I'm a lifeguard and I walk backwards. You don't want to take your eyes off the pool if you can help it, and you need to angle your body to face the swimmers (or poolside guests) so you can be ready to respond at a moment's notice if something happens. I thought that was textbook stuff, and if the other lifeguards can't step up, well then maybe the pool needs new lifeguards to accompany you.

Except I don't have the pool's management's supports. Like I said the guards think I am showing off and they don't like it. I was given the impression if I continue to do it they will get rid of me. The pool is more about number of lifeguards over good lifeguards, which is why they don't want to have the guards show they can swim 300 yards at the start of the summer. Do other guards at your pool walk backwards too?

[Echidna]

Good lifeguards are hard to come by.

In most of the pools I frequent, guards only watch when the wave canal is in use.
Otherwise (especially in bigger, family and fun catering resorts), you are not safe in any of the pools (outdoor, nonswimmer pool, swimmers), because no one, I stress, NO ONE would notice if someone would be lying unconscious on the bottom or underwater.

That is why in all such cases hereabouts, if anyone helps at all, it's other swimmers.
The guards wouldn't notice, they're sitting somewhere else chatting and can't really see any of the pools.
(And none of them looks as if they could swim, either.)

In one such resort, they periodically had some new lifeguard every week which was a real guard (they walked around, admonished rulebreakers, forbade dangerous behaviour, were really looking, etc).
It was a trial position apparently, and each and every one of them was fired after awhile.

We talked to one of them who we knew, and he told us the "regular", lazy, inattentive guards were bullying everyone who was actually doing their job, until people either quit, or were fired by the managment because
"admonishing guests is a no-go, that costs us money".

The result is, everyone does what they like.
There have been hushed-up accidents when someone jumped on a swimmer from the rim, but hey, the show must go on, money is worth more than people's health and lives after all.

[Merman Chatfish]

So I told my manager “Also to let you know, I talked with other lifeguards and non-lifeguards (not from around here), and most of them agree with the idea of walking backwards in certain areas to keep an eye on the pool, and I am going to continue to do it.”, her response: “That is fine your lifeguard hours will reflect it.”

[Yulia]

omg that's just... Dumb. I talked to a lifeguard/trainer yesterday, and you never, ever have kids behind your back.

[Mermaidmechanic]

I'm a coastguardsman. When we are monitoring a situation, we never turn our backs to it. If we need to turn our back for a reason, we have another officer maintain "visual contact" for us until we can resume. Otherwise we walk backwards with quick glances behind us or crab walk (sideways steps until reaching our destination) so that we can maintain our visual. We never turn our backs on a watch without another officer maintaining constant contact for us.

...But that's not exactly the same kind of scenario I guess. As federal officers I suppose we're held to a higher standard and are more liable in the event of a mishap. I don't know if my input helps or not?

[Merman Chatfish]

I usually sidestep unless I am in one of the areas where its just fence behind me. Generally speaking at this pool appearances are more important than safety and number of guards is more important than the quality of guards.