Lifeguard Fired for Trying to Save a Life

"Did you see this Pete? Are ya kidding me?"

Hey folks,

Hope you are having a better Friday than I. As I posted on Facebook....

You know when you are sick, WAY too much, when you walk in and tell the doctor, "I have Acute Bronchitis." The Doctor says, "Let me do the diagnosis." Runs tests, takes xrays, more tests. Doctor tells you "You have Acute bronchitis." Good, now that that's settled, can I get some meds. :) Here I go again. I HATE being sick..

It's Friday. Time to check in with the Emails. You too can be part of the OPNTalk2 Blog, by sending in articles, comments, complaints, or even if you just want to say "Hi" The Email is opntalk@gmail.com.

A Florida lifeguard has been booted from his lifeguard chair for running to save a man who was floundering in the surf.

Tomas Lopez , 21, was fired by his supervisor for vacating his lifeguarding zone to save a man drowning in an unprotected area of the beach in Hallandale Beach, Fla., on Monday, reports the Sun Sentinel.

Lopez' employer is not paid to patrol the zone where the man had been in trouble.
According to the Sun Sentinel, Lopez was approached by a beachgoer who pointed out a man struggling in the water nearly 1,500 feet south of his post.

Instinctively, he ran down the beach to save him. By the time Lopez got to him, he had been pulled to shore by fellow beachgoers.

Following his rescue attempt, Lopez was let go for leaving the area he was supposed to be covering.

Jeff Ellis and Associates, a private aquatic safety contractor, is hired by the city to patrol the beaches. The company is also in charge of hiring and training the city's lifeguards.

Susan Ellis, spokeswoman for Jeff Ellis and Associates, told the Sun Sentinel that Lopez broke company rules when he left his zone, and cited "liability issues" that may have occurred as a result of Lopez leaving his designated area.

Ellis could not be reached for further comment.

Some of Lopez's friends rallied for him on his Facebook page where he had posted the Sun Sentinel's article.

"Thats messed up but im proud of you for standing up like that and doing whats right. Tomas Lopez = Hero!!" one commenter wrote.

Tom Gill, spokesman for the United States Lifesaving Association, said Lopez's firing came across as a little harsh.

"It seems unfortunate that a guard would do what he's trained to do and be fired for it," he said.

Gill said that the boundaries set by Jeff Ellis and Associates were most likely set by the city of Hallandale Beach in a private contract.

"Usually when the municipalities hire someone to [lifeguard], those organizations are not only taking on the responsibility of the job, but a lot of the liability," he said.

USLA is recognized as the authority on open water lifesaving by the Red Cross, and certifies agencies and associations around the country based on their training.

Gill said Jeff Ellis and Associates has not applied for certification with USLA, and so he could not speak on the company's regulations or training.

"As far as being fired for going outside the zone, I couldn't tell you how they could make that justification," he said.

So there you are, drowning, you look over and see the Lifeguard sitting there watching you drown. Others see this. Do ya think there may be a lawsuit involved? Now lets say you are the Lifeguard on duty, and you can physically see someone in trouble. Could you stand there and watch someone drown? What? Just because they went passed a flag?

You know, this kinda reminds me of when I got CPR Certified a few years back. I was told pretty much flat out, don't use it. I asked, what the point was in being certified? I was told it was an option that they offered, but would prefer, for fear of lawsuits, if we never found ourselves in a position where we needed to make that choice.

Tis the world of which we live folks. It's why we have idiot labels, moronic warnings, and massive recalls based on the stupidity of a few. I understand according to the Local News, two others were fired, when asked if they would have done the same, and they said yes. Four others quit. Swim at your own risk out there folks. Just because you may be able to see a lifeguard, it doesn't mean he, or she, is actually there for YOU.
Peter

Sources:
GMA - Florida Lifeguard Fired for Trying to Save Drowning Man Outside of His Zone By ALEXIS SHAW | Good Morning America