OK, here's the set up: Yes, swimming fitness is the foundation skill of any lifeguard. Equally as important, if not more so, on the beach are "Conditions" which must be recognized, including but not limited to, lateral currents, inshore holes, rip currents, tide, obstacles (jetties, breakwaters, piers), surf, swimming ability, etc. et al.
SO where are we going with this anyways? Yesterday in the early afternoon, the "County Recurrent" editorial staff, off duty, took a foot patrol from SMHQ to the Venice Pier along the soft sand and the most recognizable lifeguard skill observed along both Santa Monica South and Venice was the "prevention" along with foot patrols! After all is said and done, you can be pool fast and ocean dumb OR you can kick ass and take names, which LACo beach lifeguards are trained to do and be "lifeguard smart"! And we have the photographic evidence to back up our theory as fact! 10-4, copy!
So here goes, as chronologically observed:
SMS #26:
OLS, Pat O'Neill, on the berm "watching the water"!... and basically all over it! This is "how it is done, as you all know".
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| SMS Tower #26 |
Anto Boghokian on a foot patrol toward the Venice Breakwater and then on another back toward his tower... with finger rips and inshore holes and surf, this recurrent was on his toes making preventions and busy on foot patrols! 10-4, Anto
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| Venice North |
Venice Breakwater:
The most profound "prevention" that we witnessed up close was performed by OLS Rebecca Gilman just inside the north side of the Breakwater where a young couple was venturing out into what they probably thought was a protected area, and which in fact is full of inshore holes and a recurring rip current that tracks out through the adjacent surf line and where many rescues have occurred over the years. In the photo below, the couple is shown heading back to shore but before this photo was taken they were heading out in the other direction until Rebecca got their attention with her patented Gilman whistle. "County Recurrent" counts this as two lives saved for sure!
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| The Venice Breakwater |
The Avenues:
OL, Mike Janney, CPA, all over it and on a foot patrol on his way to making several preventions! 10-4, Mike! This Recurrent does 'account' for himself! We witnessed it!
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| The Avenues |
Ave-23:
At far right in the photo below is the infamous Ave-23 tower directly below Division HQ and adjacent to the Venice Garage and Compound... and where you have to be esp. "on it!" And it was none other than MAKUTA!!!... working this tower and we don't mean "Jimmy", who is retired with his feet up on a lazy boy recliner doing the crossword puzzle! Instead, it was his faster number one daughter, Kailey, who we observed making foot patrols and multiple preventions with rescue can and fins in hand along her area of responsibility.
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| Ave-23, at right of frame above Jetty |
The Venice Garage:
And then we observed a couple of veteran LACo Lifeguards chit chatting at the Venice Garage... which is another story altogether for another day and another time, but we can mention that Retired LACo Lifeguard Capt. Dan Atkins (at right) defines Retirement as "Freedom" and expressed that he had no idea how awesome it is to get up and know he has the whole day to make stuff up! :-) Enjoy, Dan, you earned it! 10-4, copy. p.s. Dan's daughter is a JG Cadet and Dan was at the beach yesterday afternoon watching her perform and kick ass in the run swim run... which we will highlight in another blog post on another day.....
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| OL Mike Murphy, at left, with Dan Atkins |
10-4
Until next time.....
"County Recurrent" News
http://CountyRecurrent.blogspot.com
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| SMS Tower #27 |
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1 comment:
OK, here's the set up: Yes, swimming fitness is the foundation skill of any lifeguard. Equally as important, if not more so, on the beach are "Conditions" which must be recognized, including but not limited to, lateral currents, inshore holes, rip currents, tide, obstacles (jetties, breakwaters, piers), surf, swimming ability, etc. et al.
We Are Highly Paid Professional Swimmers.
I think we all know that The Most Important Ability We As Lifeguards Have Is The Ability To Swim Strongly when others Can Not (RESCUE SWIMMERS). I have taught many beach patrons how to recognize lateral currents, inshore holes, rip currents, tide, obstacles (jetties, breakwaters, piers)and surf. They Still Have NOT learned to swim like us.
Ivan Wilkins
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