Lifeguard

Lifeguard Position

The lifeguard will have the primary responsibility of ensuring a safe environment for all participants in and around the school district pool.

Guiding Philosophy of a Palmyra-Macedon Lifeguard

• Focus on safety first.
• Create and enthusiastically be part of a collaborative culture.
• Value collective capacity through job-embedded learning.
• Focus on results and not activities.
• Embrace the model of continuous improvement.

Expected Results

• The lifeguard will create an environment where students, faculty and staff, administration, and community members are safe by ensuring continuous pool and pool area supervision by:
• Actively avoid and prohibit possible distractions.
• Maintaining adequate visual surveillance in positions that provide a clear view of the pool bottom and avoiding glare or blind spots.
• Knowing and enforcing all pool area rules.

• The lifeguard will create an environment where students, faculty and staff, administration, and community members are safe, focusing on injury prevention by:
• Actively participating in training and drills as required by the District.
• Reading all training manuals, materials, and safety plans provided.
• Wearing attire appropriate to safely meet all lifeguard duties.
• Maintaining constant surveillance of the area of responsibility and avoiding distractions during chair rotation.
• Refraining from personal cell phone use.
• Avoiding lengthy conversations with patrons or others.
• Discouraging extended breath holding and voluntary hyperventilating amongst bathers.
• Identifying and reporting potentially hazardous areas in and around the pool to the supervisor.
• Regulating the use of the starting blocks.
• Enforce diving rules and regulate the use of diving boards.
• Taking breaks to avoid fatigue when properly relieved by another lifeguard.

• The lifeguard will create an environment where students, faculty and staff, administration, and community members are safe when reacting to emergencies, injuries, and other incidents by:
• Intervening in any situation that could jeopardize the health and safety of a person or divert the lifeguard's attention from general supervision of bathers.
• Following the Safety Plan when responding to potential incidents or emergency situations.
• Using whistle and hand signals for communication as established.
• Maintaining crowd control in the event of an emergency.
• Providing basic first aid and/or CPR until medical assistance arrives.
• Reporting fecal, vomit and blood instances to the supervisor immediately and implement directed next steps.
• Updating and maintaining daily records, injury logs, illness logs, and other information as requested by any supervisor.

• The lifeguard will ensure all parents, students, community members, employees, and all visitors to the Palmyra-Macedon CSD will experience the Pal-Mac Way by:
• Greeting parents, students, community members, employees, and all visitors with a friendly and helpful attitude.
• Displaying a customer service approach when working with others in person, on the phone, and through electronic communication.
• Being attentive to the needs of all individuals who request their assistance.
• Communicating clearly, both verbally and in writing.
• Utilizing their skills to de-escalate a situation when other people are in a heightened or excited state.

The lifeguard will perform all other duties as assigned by the Director of Physical Education, Athletics, and Community Service or his/her designee.

Lifeguards will possess the following minimum qualities, qualifications, skills, and/or abilities:

• Fingerprint clearance through New York State Office of School Personnel Review and Accountability.
• Current valid CPR training certification.
• Current valid Lifeguard certification.
• Current standard first aid training.
• Physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position.
• Evidence of an open, collaborative style that fosters a sense of teamwork and common purpose.
• Proven people skills and is an effective communicator with a sense of humor. The lifeguard will be positive, approachable, and respectful of others.
• Capable of enforcing regulations firmly and impartially.
• Willing to become an active, engaged and visible member of the learning community.
• A clear communicator in oral and written language, including electronic communication.
• Works collaboratively with other staff members, administrators, students, and parents.
• Uses problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
• Listens first.

Evaluation: At a minimum, the lifeguard will be evaluated annually by the Director of Swimming Pools.