Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers

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Also known as:  Beach Lifeguard, Certified Ski Patroller, Life Guard, OEC Technician, Outdoor Emergency Care Technician, Pool Lifeguard, Ski Patrol

ABOUT LIFEGUARD, SKI PATROL, OR OTHER RECREATIONAL PROTECTIVE SERVICE WORKER CAREERS

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT Expand
Helping to keep outdoor recreation safe is the job of recreational protective service workers such as lifeguards or members of the ski patrol or those who monitor other recreational areas. A big part of these jobs is preventing accidents. Protective service workers warn people about unsafe condition ...
s and discourage risky behavior, and when mishaps happen, they are specifically trained to respond.

Lifeguards constantly scan the waters for someone who might be in trouble. If they spot someone in danger, they dive into action. They may use flotation devices, ropes, poles, or specially designed wave runners to rescue a struggling swimmer. In addition to being strong swimmers in excellent physical condition, lifeguards must pass life-saving and CPR certification courses.

Ski patrollers safeguard skiers and snowboarders by maintaining trails and marking those that are unsafe. They help to educate an unsafe skier or attend to someone in distress. Ski patrollers rarely work alone. Collisions and falls at 30 to 40 miles per hour down a ski slope can result in severe injuries. Stabilizing hurt skiers and getting them quickly to professional medical help takes well-rehearsed teamwork.

Ski patrollers must be able to ski safely and efficiently in any weather, through any terrain, often loaded down with heavy rescue gear. They are usually CPR certified and often must have EMT certification as well. Many ski patrollers are volunteers. Some large resorts use a combination of volunteers and patrollers.

If you love to swim or ski, these jobs are one way to make that passion pay off. Since most work is seasonal, it's ideal for anyone looking for temporary employment with a good paycheck. Recreational protective service workers come from many different walks of life, but all are committed to promoting fun and safety on the slopes or on the water.
SNAPSHOT Expand
Monitor recreational areas, such as pools, beaches, or ski slopes to provide assistance and protection to participants.
Leadership
HIGH
Critical decision making
HIGH
Level of responsibilities
HIGH
Job challenge and pressure to meet deadlines
LOW
Dealing and handling conflict
LOW
Competition for this position
LOW
Communication with others
HIGH
Work closely with team members, clients etc.
HIGH
Comfort of the work setting
HIGH
Exposure to extreme environmental conditions
LOW
Exposure to job hazards
LOW
Physical demands
LOW
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DAILY TASKS Expand
Contact emergency medical personnel in case of serious injury.
Complete and maintain records of weather and beach conditions, emergency medical treatments performed, and other relevant incident information.
Examine injured persons and administer first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if necessary, using training and medical supplies and equipment.
Rescue distressed persons, using rescue techniques and equipment.
Warn recreational participants of inclement weather, unsafe areas, or illegal conduct.
Patrol or monitor recreational areas such as trails, slopes, and swimming areas, on foot, in vehicles, or from towers.
Instruct participants in skiing, swimming, or other recreational activities and provide safety precaution information.
MAIN ACTIVITIES Expand
Assisting and Caring for Others Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Performing General Physical Activities Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Training and Teaching Others Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE Expand
Customer and Personal Service Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Public Safety and Security Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Education and Training Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Medicine and Dentistry Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Administration and Management Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
English Language Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Personnel and Human Resources Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Psychology Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
KEY ABILITIES Expand
Problem Sensitivity The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Oral Expression The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Far Vision The ability to see details at a distance.
Oral Comprehension The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Selective Attention The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Deductive Reasoning The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Speech Clarity The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Inductive Reasoning The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
TOP SKILLS Expand
Monitoring Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Speaking Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Judgment and Decision Making Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Service Orientation Actively looking for ways to help people.
Critical Thinking Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Social Perceptiveness Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Coordination Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.