Surf Lifeguards - How Dangerous Are Rips To A Trained Lifeguard (And Other Related Questions)?

[Wannabelifeguard]

Hi guys,

 

I was wondering if we have any trained surf lifeguards on this forum and if so, how risky is a rip for a lifeguard?

 

As far as I can tell, the main danger of a rip current comes from swimmers panicking and trying to swim against the current. For someone who knows what to do, is it a particularly big deal?

 

I am planning to take a lifeguard course next year and I was reading that one of the techniques a lifeguard can use to get to a swimmer in trouble is to look for a rip and let the rip carry the lifeguard out towards the person in trouble. I was kind of surprised by this because I would have thought a lifeguard could potentially panic just as much as anyone else. I always thought that saving someone from a rip would involve a boat or rescue board...

 

A couple of other questions, why are lifeguards taught to 'wade' in to water below the knee? What is the advantage of the wading technique over running/walking?

 

When the water gets too deep for wading, lifeguards apparently perform a technique called popoising or dolphin diving - what is the purpose of this technique? For those that don't know, the lifeguard essentially dives in to the shallow water and grabs the sand and then comes back up and does it again... it is unclear why the lifeguard wouldn't simply begin swimming...

 

Finally, how hard is it to lie on your back in a rip? I can't imagine it being particularly hard. By there very nature, rips don't have a lot of waves crashing down on you and I would not expect to have any issues holding my breath as a wave came over me... but at the same time, many competent swimmers drown in rips (they surely know what to do...).

[GAHD]

Hi guys,

 

I was wondering if we have any trained surf lifeguards on this forum and if so, how risky is a rip for a lifeguard?

Not a surf lifeguard, but I did take classes back in the day for pool/lake/beach lifeguard as an advanced swimming class. Hopefully I can answer a bit even if freshwater is way less buoyant than salt.

 

 

A couple of other questions, why are lifeguards taught to 'wade' in to water below the knee? What is the advantage of the wading technique over running/walking?

Less likely to trip yourself, and less of a consumption of your energy. You're not rescuing anyone if you trip and sprain a limb, and on the way BACK you're supporting yourself AND a panicking indiviual who's constantly trying to shove you down so they can relax and breath above the water line. Also, every second matters and tripping would just add seconds you'd be trying to avoid.

 

in a pool situation it's far easier to use a big hook when that desperate but silent pre-drowning "sky-watching" behavior happens, or to do a run and jump from the side lines if it's past that.

 

In an open beach environment the distance is probably way more and you're taking yourself and (hopefully) a floater along so you gotta balance the getting there and the getting back in a timely manner.

 

When the water gets too deep for wading, lifeguards apparently perform a technique called popoising or dolphin diving - what is the purpose of this technique? For those that don't know, the lifeguard essentially dives in to the shallow water and grabs the sand and then comes back up and does it again... it is unclear why the lifeguard wouldn't simply begin swimming...

That wasn't in my list, but I can understand why some people would do it: it takes way less energy to move yourself in a direction with firm footing or grip than it does swimming. You could check out the difference in speed and effort yourself. Every second matters. Every bit of energy is important for getting back.

 

 

Finally, how hard is it to lie on your back in a rip? I can't imagine it being particularly hard. By there very nature, rips don't have a lot of waves crashing down on you and I would not expect to have any issues holding my breath as a wave came over me... but at the same time, many competent swimmers drown in rips (they surely know what to do...).

Not too sure on that one, never been in one. It might be an issue with Bournoulie's principle though. Fast moving fluids are low-pressure so they might "suck" things away from the slower moving areas towards the faster ones.

 

It's also probably a fatigue thing? Can't say for sure though since that's outside my scope, though if shore ends up far enough away that the horizon line's becoming an issue it could be rather difficult getting back before you're too tired...