My Life on the Waterpark Guard Stand The summer sun beats down on the pavement at Six Flags Great Adventure’s Hurricane Harbor, and the ambient sound of splashing water mixed with distant roller coaster screams fills the air. I adjust my sunglasses, grip my...
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My Life on the Waterpark Guard Stand The summer sun beats down on the pavement at Six Flags Great Adventure’s Hurricane Harbor, and the ambient sound of splashing water mixed with distant roller coaster screams fills the air. I adjust my sunglasses, grip my red rescue tube tightly against my chest, and maintain a constant visual sweep of my zone. As a lifeguard here, every single second counts. My eyes never stop moving. I follow the 10/20 protection standard: I have ten seconds to scan my entire section of the pool and twenty seconds to reach a swimmer in distress. Thousands of guests crowd the wave pool today, bobbing up and down in bright inflatable rings. The heat is intense, but my focus remains sharp. I watch a small child struggling against a sudden swell near the deep end. Before situation turns into an emergency, I blow two sharp whistles, and step off the stand, jumping into the cool water to assist the swimmer to the safety edge. Working at the waterpark is intense, physical
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