Lifeguard fired for having rescued drowning man

Skybird · 07-05-12, 04:18 AM

Just any source, originally I stumbled over this in a German newspaper.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/ar...ida-beach-zone

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/05/us...red/index.html

Speechless. I hope the company owner's property gets struck by lightning and goes off in fire. If "liabilities" demand employees to just stand and watch others dying, then something is terribly porked there.

BossMark · 07-05-12, 04:49 AM

That is unbelievable this man should have been praised, those who did the firing should hang their heads in shame and resign their post.

Herr-Berbunch · 07-05-12, 05:04 AM

I hope other companies are now fighting for him!

Jimbuna · 07-05-12, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Company supervisor Susan Ellis told WPTV that Lopez was let go for violating its policy.
"We have liability issues and can't go out of the protected area," she said. "What he did was his own decision. He knew the company rules and did what he thought he needed to do."

I wouldn't go relying on help if you ever get into difficulties whilst swimming Susan.

kranz · 07-05-12, 07:40 AM

There was a similar case in Poland, around 2 years ago. A young boy was drowning, he was spotted by a 17-18 year old kid who jumped into the lake without much thinking. When he grabbed him in the middle of the lake, they were spotted by a two-policemen patrol. They called an ambulance and....stood on the bank shouting "You will make it". The official response from the police was that they "were not trained in life-guarding, thus their lack of initiative cannot be regarded as any violation of rules, thus their decision not to jump was OK"
I told this story to my friend who is a life guard and I was ofc angry that they did not react. He said that I have no idea about life guarding etc...
It made me re-think the case a bit...obviously, from a "moral" point of view the life-guard's decision was good, but what would happen if somebody had drowned in his zone? Where was the guy responsible for the "southern" zone? Was he fired as well? Besides, these zones haven't been made for "fun". If he decided to work there, he must have been aware of the "zone" policy and "strategies" concerning leaving an outpost in case of emergency. If he deliberately violated these rules...

Herr-Berbunch · 07-05-12, 08:23 AM

Plamen Petkov rescued a five-year-old girl just a month or so ago and then suffered a heart attack. Who knows what underlying conditions we all have that may only be brought to the surface (definately no pun intended!) when we react on instinct.

I'd still rather go this way than be a gibbering wreck whilst my family wait for my telegram from HM King William V. But not for a good few years.

NeonSamurai · 07-05-12, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kranz

There was a similar case in Poland, around 2 years ago. A young boy was drowning, he was spotted by a 17-18 year old kid who jumped into the lake without much thinking. When he grabbed him in the middle of the lake, they were spotted by a two-policemen patrol. They called an ambulance and....stood on the bank shouting "You will make it". The official response from the police was that they "were not trained in life-guarding, thus their lack of initiative cannot be regarded as any violation of rules, thus their decision not to jump was OK"

Honestly I would actually side with the police. As someone who did do lifeguard training, trying to save a drowning person is a very risky thing. People who are drowning are usually in a state of total panic, and will do stuff like trying to get on top so they can try to stand on the person trying to save them (there have been several cases of would be life savers drowning with the person they were trying to save for just such a reason).

07-05-12, 11:28 AM

He abondoned his post which endangered those he was tasked to protect.
Sacking is the correct outcome.

Quote:

Where was the guy responsible for the "southern" zone?

The southern zone was unpatrolled and has signs saying swim at your own risk.

What I do find strange is that only one story says he saved a drowning man, all the others say the swimmer was already rescued and on the beach being treated by a nurse by the time Lopez arrived at the scene.

Garion · 07-05-12, 12:08 PM

When I attended The Scottish Police College for basic and a year later for advanced training back in the 70's I was taught life saving up to the bronze medalion level. I still have all my badges and the medal and wonder if such training still takes place at Tulliallan.

Cheers

Gary

AVGWarhawk · 07-05-12, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tribesman

He abondoned his post which endangered those he was tasked to protect.
Sacking is the correct outcome.

This guy would have been damned if he did or damned if he didn't I would think. What if the man had in fact drowned and said life guard could have saved his life?

Takeda Shingen · 07-05-12, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

This guy would have been damned if he did or damned if he didn't I would think. What if the man had in fact drowned and said life guard could have saved his life?

Moreover, what if any of us were in a position to save a man's life? I would like to think that I would do the right thing, regardless of personal consequence. This young man did just that.

AVGWarhawk · 07-05-12, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Takeda Shingen

Moreover, what if any of us were in a position to save a man's life? I would like to think that I would do the right thing, regardless of personal consequence. This young man did just that.

I agree. It was a split decision. I understand he was given his job back.

07-05-12, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Moreover, what if any of us were in a position to save a man's life? I would like to think that I would do the right thing, regardless of personal consequence. This young man did just that.

Thats the core of the issue right there, regardess of personal consequences means he cannot really moan about the disciplinary action from his employers as iy is a natural consequence of the action he chose to take.

Takeda Shingen · 07-05-12, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tribesman

Thats the core of the issue right there, regardess of personal consequences means he cannot really moan about the disciplinary action from his employers as iy is a natural consequence of the action he chose to take.

Conversely, although you are legally permitted to take such action as to terminate the individual for acting so, you cannot save your organization from negative publicity when you remove a lifeguard for acting like, well, a lifeguard.

07-05-12, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Conversely, although you are legally permitted to take such action as to terminate the individual for acting so, you cannot save your organization from negative publicity when you remove a lifeguard for acting like, well, a lifeguard.

But he didn't act like a lifeguard, he abandond the area he was supposed to be keeping safe.
I wonder if he removed the lifeguard on duty flag from his beach when he left it to go elsewhere? Afterall when it comes to water safely you not only have to inform the other lifeguards of what you are doing you also have to consider the swimmers you are supposed to be covering.

Edit to add a question.
If you are swimming on a beach that has lots of lifeguards but has been red flagged do you expect any of them to enter the water if you screw up?

07-05-12, 04:18 AM	#1
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 42,602 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	Lifeguard fired for having rescued drowning man Just any source, originally I stumbled over this in a German newspaper. http://www.thestar.com/news/world/ar...ida-beach-zone http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/05/us...red/index.html Speechless. I hope the company owner's property gets struck by lightning and goes off in fire. If "liabilities" demand employees to just stand and watch others dying, then something is terribly porked there. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.

07-05-12, 04:49 AM	#2
BossMark Fleet Admiral Join Date: May 2011 Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire Posts: 15,272 Downloads: 278 Uploads: 0	That is unbelievable this man should have been praised, those who did the firing should hang their heads in shame and resign their post. __________________ Never trust the Tories look what Thatcher and Major did in the 80s and 90s and look what the wicked witch May is doing now doing now

07-05-12, 05:04 AM	#3
Herr-Berbunch Kaiser Bill's batman Join Date: May 2010 Location: AN72 Posts: 13,203 Downloads: 76 Uploads: 0	I hope other companies are now fighting for him! __________________

07-05-12, 07:40 AM	#5
kranz The Old Man Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Poland Posts: 1,430 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	There was a similar case in Poland, around 2 years ago. A young boy was drowning, he was spotted by a 17-18 year old kid who jumped into the lake without much thinking. When he grabbed him in the middle of the lake, they were spotted by a two-policemen patrol. They called an ambulance and....stood on the bank shouting "You will make it". The official response from the police was that they "were not trained in life-guarding, thus their lack of initiative cannot be regarded as any violation of rules, thus their decision not to jump was OK" I told this story to my friend who is a life guard and I was ofc angry that they did not react. He said that I have no idea about life guarding etc... It made me re-think the case a bit...obviously, from a "moral" point of view the life-guard's decision was good, but what would happen if somebody had drowned in his zone? Where was the guy responsible for the "southern" zone? Was he fired as well? Besides, these zones haven't been made for "fun". If he decided to work there, he must have been aware of the "zone" policy and "strategies" concerning leaving an outpost in case of emergency. If he deliberately violated these rules... Last edited by kranz; 07-05-12 at 02:45 PM.

07-05-12, 08:23 AM	#6
Herr-Berbunch Kaiser Bill's batman Join Date: May 2010 Location: AN72 Posts: 13,203 Downloads: 76 Uploads: 0	Plamen Petkov rescued a five-year-old girl just a month or so ago and then suffered a heart attack. Who knows what underlying conditions we all have that may only be brought to the surface (definately no pun intended!) when we react on instinct. I'd still rather go this way than be a gibbering wreck whilst my family wait for my telegram from HM King William V. But not for a good few years. __________________

07-05-12, 12:08 PM	#9
Garion Commander Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Scotland Posts: 452 Downloads: 34 Uploads: 0	When I attended The Scottish Police College for basic and a year later for advanced training back in the 70's I was taught life saving up to the bronze medalion level. I still have all my badges and the medal and wonder if such training still takes place at Tulliallan. Cheers Gary