Benefits of lifeguard pool

West coast: Regardless of whether you are going to swim on the USA coasts or at beaches abroad during the summer holidays, the lifeguard class near me recommend that you familiarize yourself with the conditions on the beach and in the water before throwing yourself into the waves.

 Read the information on the beach signs, pay attention to the sign with the beach lifeguard number, and talk to the lifeguards. Then you will gain important knowledge about the special conditions that apply to the beach, and you can have a fun and pleasant day by the water with the family.

A new bathing location can be full of surprises that are not always visible to the naked eye, and you may be visiting a beach for the first time where you do not know exactly where you are if you need to call for help.

Pay attention to the green rescue number sign

By spending a few minutes orienting yourself about the beach and the water, you can get important information so that you avoid surprises on the bathing trip, says René Højer, project manager at Florida:

You have to get to know the beach. This means, among other things, that before entering the water, you must make sure you know where you are in case you need to call for help. In many places along the USA coasts and at the entrances to the beaches, there are green rescue number signs with a unique number on them. If you state this when you call 1-1-2, the emergency services know exactly where to send help. Abroad, you can choose beaches with lifeguards, so there is help nearby if you need it.

Check the safety sign and ask the lifeguards

At the larger USA beaches, there is often also a safety sign that, among other things, informs about available rescue equipment on the beach, whether it is, for example, a steep beach where the water quickly gets deep, and you therefore have to pay extra attention to rip holes and special current conditions. You can also meet the same type of sign in other European countries - and it is worth spending a few minutes reading the sign before entering the water. You can also always ask the locals or the lifeguards on the beaches for good advice.

We always recommend that you ask the locals or a lifeguard about the special conditions of the beach before you go into the water. If there are lifeguards on the beach, they have already assessed where it is best to swim and marked the area with their red-yellow flags at the water's edge. 

The lifeguards can also help you read the way the waves hit the beach, which tells you about water depth and current conditions. When the lifeguards have raised the yellow flag at the top of the lifeguard tower, it is because you have to be particularly careful when bathing, and you can always ask the lifeguard what the reason is. 

If the red flag is raised, the lifeguards advise against swimming and you must stay on land, says Anders Myrrh, head of coastal lifesaving at Florida Coastal Lifesaving, and continues:

If there are no lifeguards, you must e.g. be aware of whether the beach is very steep, so that it quickly becomes deep, or there may be jetties and humps that affect the current. It may also be relevant in some places to investigate whether a fast ferry is passing, which can cause large waves. 

If you swim abroad, you also have to watch out for underwater reefs and dangerous animals in the water, and a good rule of thumb is to stay away from beaches where the locals don't swim themselves. It could be because it is risky to bathe there. All the knowledge you can get about the beach will help you prevent being surprised by the conditions in the water, and then it's much easier to relax and enjoy the swim, says Anders Myrhøj.