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Location: Lakewood NJ/Murrells Inlet SC/ N. Naples FL/Swainton NJ
4,032 posts, read 6,565,268 times
Reputation: 3536
Quote:
Originally Posted by Summering
But, don't you get a good feeling when a lifeguard shows up and whistles for the far out people to head inwards?
Some people go way to far out in the ocean. Sometimes I feel like the person on duty. I'm sure those who lost their'
lives recently had that same mindset. Untrained, but thinking they can handle it...they head out to save someone.
I do realize NJ does overkill. I lived there most of my life. But, they were always there to save you. I had two lifeguards
come to save me one time in Atlantic City and I actually didn't need saving.
You just like the attention of those young hot lifeguards..... Just kidding. When our children were young I was happy to see the lifeguards present. It meant I was watching and they were watching. Now that those days are long gone, I could care less (selfish, I know). But when our granddaughter visits and wants to go to the beach or pool, I will be hoping for lifeguard supervision.
Can this issue about lifeguards be brought up at city or county council meetings? I know I'm not there yet, but it seems like a logical place to start...just saying.
I believe that there is a better comfort level with tourists seeing multiple lifeguards on duty. But in some cases it is taken for granted where people don't pay attention to their children and/or loved ones while they frolic in the water. Lifeguards like most things cost money, giving them dual job responsibilities cuts a cost somewhere down the line. In addition adding more lifeguards will necessitate more guard stations. Trust me I think safety is the issue at hand but money plays its part. Looking through the NMB websites I found that lifeguards make between $10-$13 and hour, and in their recent picture I counted approximately 81 guards for NMB alone. Stating the average of $11.50 an hour just for the months of May, June, July and August can potentially be astronomical.
So I can see the city making them do two different things so that they can turn a profit.
The other thing that came up was the use of the water warnings. To be honest as many times as I visited a beach when I was a kid and even and adult, I didn't have a damn clue what those flags meant. Potentially publishing them in the SunnyDay magazine would raise awareness. If memory serves (and I don't guarantee that i'm right) flags in NC do not necessarily mean the same thing in SC. Outer Banks (Corolla/Corolla Light/Duck) utilized flag designs and not the colored warning flag version in SC.
Its about people taking the responsibility to watch their own. Obviously cost is a major factor as to why the limited number of guards exist, but raising awareness to visitors may be a good stance for the city to take.
I vacaton at Myrtle every year, I will never return if they beaches go paid. That being said, I like the "swim at own risk" policy. Too much personal responsibility and common sense has been taken away for the 'someone will always save me' mentaltity. Eventually you wind up with so many rules and regulations (someone mentioned N.J.) that the fun wears off fast, espically if the lifeguards or other person in charge gets a power complex.
I understand accidents happen and even the best swimmers get in trouble, and yes it's a shame when someone looses a life, but even the lifeguards when completly focused can't save them all.
You just like the attention of those young hot lifeguards..... Just kidding. When our children were young I was happy to see the lifeguards present. It meant I was watching and they were watching. Now that those days are long gone, I could care less (selfish, I know). But when our granddaughter visits and wants to go to the beach or pool, I will be hoping for lifeguard supervision.
Emmhemmm, You could be right there tmozer. If one looks like Channing Tadem.
I agree that it is ridiculous to have lifeguards who are also doing double duty renting out chairs and umbrellas. It is also awful that people are drowning in the ocean. Of course, no matter how many lifeguards there are, people will still drown and some can't be saved. Yes, money is a factor, but no matter how much money is spent, people will still die. People need to take more responsibility for their own lives and not be swimming out too far, etc. But people are stupid and these things are going to happen, no matter what.
That being said, I would also really hate it if our beaches turn into a police state like they are in NJ. You can't even take a nap on the beach there without one of those beach patrol people coming over to wake you up and demand to see your beach tag. In NJ at most beach access places, they have 2 people sitting in chairs demanding to see your tag! That is just ridiculous. And no, I don't "get a good feeling" when I hear the beach lifeguards blowing their whistles to call people in and herd them into certain areas of the ocean. I find it almost as annoying as when I have to listen to other people blasting their music. The worst is the hotels and the piers and the boardwalk, where music from speakers is blasting really loud and interfering with what should be a peaceful enjoyment of the outdoors and the sounds of nature - the ocean, children laughing, birds singing, etc.
People need to take some responsibility for themselves and quit relying on others to "save" them from their own stupidity.
Gee Vrexy I kinda like to hear "soft" music at the beach or some oldies in the air.
I would hate if MB started to charge a fee for the beach. That is awful, and with a bunch of kids
it became expensive.
BTW....Gotta' smile from your hubby today, sure he doesn't know who I am though.
I guess you were at his office. Glad he smiled at you! He is a smiling friendly type! Next time, introduce yourself to him!!
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