Lifeguard Ambitions

As a child, I went through a variety of spontaneous dreams and ambitions when it came to who I wanted to be when I grew up. My impulsive, yet frequent change of mind was based on my sole passion to help people, though I never had a true calling until I became a lifeguard. When I was younger, my Poppy died from a drowning accident. He had Parkinson's Disease and had an at home nurse with him at all times. But this never stopped him from doing what he loved to do. One day he wanted to go for a swim in the family pool in the backyard and the nurse decided she had better things to do than do her job. While she was gone, my Poppy slipped losing his balance and began drowning. When the nurse returned back several minutes later there wasn’t much she could do other than start CPR and wait for the paramedics to arrive. In becoming a lifeguard, I knew that I would never want this to happen to anyone else because the pain of losing someone over an accident that could have easily been prevented is unexplainable.

A few months back I had what started out as a very traumatic experience. A patron jumped off a thirty-five foot ledge into the bowl of a slide, landing head first. After surveying the situation, I activated EAP and ran
In March of 2016 I went through lifeguarding classes, obtaining my certifications in CPR, Rescue Breathing, First Aid, Oxygen Administration, and AED. As a lifeguard, my job is to ensure safety of all patrons in my zone. Working as a lifeguard has truly changed me as a person, providing me with helpful skills, and educational experience. I love having the knowledge and ability to save someone's life. It gives me a purpose and fuels my passion. Personally, I feel this job has begun to prepare me for the medical field, ensuring I am good under pressure, providing me with the needed social skills, and the understanding of procedure. Knowing in the end that you saved that person's life is