International Lifeguard Appreciation Day

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that every year nearly a quarter of a million people die as a result of drowning, and almost 82 000 of them are children aged 1 to 14 years. The WHO adds that more than 90% of drowning deaths occur in rivers, lakes, wells, domestic water storage vessels and swimming pools in low- and middle-income countries, with children and adolescents in rural areas disproportionately affected. The job of a lifeguard tends to be underrated. The lifeguard is one of the first responders to come to the rescue of those who get into difficulties. Whether at the beach, a water park, resort or your neighborhood pool or aquatic facility, lifeguards are ready and qualified to monitor and assist swimmers and perform life-saving measures when necessary. These public safety professionals stay alert, vigilant and attentive so others can have fun in the water. Lifeguard Appreciation Day is celebrated on July 31 annually. The day is set aside to honour and show appreciation for those professionals, who are tasked with the responsibility of making sure that pool facilities and beaches are safe for users. Lifeguards diligently dedicate not only their time but lives to enabling a safe environment for swimmers. Additionally, lifeguards instruct and keep a constant watch on guests to prevent injury and rescue them from life-threatening accidents. History of Lifeguard Appreciation Day. The first celebration of Lifeguard Appreciation Day was in 2020. Ellis & Associates, an organization that focuses on aquatic safety and risk management, founded the day on July 31, 2020, to increase appreciation and awareness about the relentless efforts of lifeguards in making pool facilities safe for its users. The lifeguard profession became a necessity as a result of the increasing deaths and injuries recorded in aquatic facilities more than a century ago. Swimming became popular in 19th century America, where recreational facilities sprung up everywhere. Unfortunately, the more they opened the more drowning incidents took place in those facilities. In order to curtail these accidents, resorts installed lifelines in their pools but regrettably, they were either too difficult to grab by users or not seen quickly enough. As efforts to reduce the frequency of drowning increased, some communities employed police officers to serve as rescue teams at aquatic facilities. This measure, however, brought a decline in the number of law enforcement agents being present where needed. Subsequently, local governments decided to hire experts trained in water rescues. The word ‘lifeguard’ eventually became associated with these men and in 1912, the Young Men’s Christian Association organized a lifesaving service to prevent drowning incidences. In 1914, the American Red Cross Volunteer Lifesaving Corps was founded to train swimmers in saving lives and giving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (C.P.R.). The trained swimmers were deployed to their local communities to serve as lifeguards. Interestingly, devices were also developed to help save drowning victims. An example of this is the famous rescue tube invented by Pete Peterson in 1935. Today, almost all recreational facilities and beaches employ the services of various lifeguards who collectively work to bring the levels of drowning incidents down to the bare minimum. Islanders. Approximately, 10% of the world’s population lives on an island. An island is any area of land smaller than a continent and entirely surrounded by water. A group of island is called an archipelago. In Jamaica, the Beach Control Act stipulates that public bathing beaches and commercial beaches must be licensed by the National Resources Conservation Authority, through the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), in order to operate. Unfortunately, there are public beaches that fail to meet even the basic rule of having lifeguards on duty. As a result beachgoers are cautioned to swim at their own risk. Operating without a beach license or in contravention of such is a criminal offence, which could result in prosecution and/or a fine of up to $100,000. Without a doubt the current fine for operating without a beach license is not a deterrent. The legislation needs to be revisited. Although NEPA does not issue provisional licenses, individuals who have commercialized public beaches across the island have taken to putting up notices of intent to secure a beach license. While licensed operators continue to run afoul of the law without prosecution, the sea has been far less forgiving than the authorities. Sadly, each year many lives are lost at both licensed and unlicensed beaches. The Royal Life Saving Society of Jamaica facilitates training and certification of lifeguards in the Ministry of Health’s -Pool Safety Regulations under the Public Health Act and are the sole examiners under Beach Control Act for marine/beach environment. Besides the water rescue and lifeguard courses, the Society is also organizing resuscitation courses for hotel housekeepers, pool bar managers, non-water sport staff. Jamaica Life Saving Society (JLSS) also provides training for lifeguards. Many lifeguards tend to seek better benefits and working conditions and oftentimes they venture into the tourism industry to ply their trade. An Inclusive Culture. As we observe this important day we cannot underscore the fact that more of us need to learn how to swim. We live on an island surrounded by water and few of us can swim. A few schools in Jamaica have swimming pools and those selected students are exposed to swimming. As islanders we need to see swimming as a survival skill. We must change the narrative in order to truly embrace a culture of inclusivity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), swimming can help with chronic diseases and mental health. Water-based exercising like swimming improves the use of joints affected by arthritis. The CDC also states that parents of children with developmental disabilities find that recreational activities, such as swimming, improve family connections. Swimming also releases endorphins, which aid in decreasing depression and improving moods. On this International Lifeguard Appreciation Day we salute all those professionals who turn up daily at various swimming facilities to ensure the safety of others. Happy Lifeguard Appreciation Day. Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com @WayneCamo © #lifeguardappreciationday