Watching them glide through the water at record speeds cheered on by thousands of adoring fans, one would probably never think that an Olympian may need assistance in the pool. But that has always been the role of the Red Cross: to help when the unthinkable strikes.
Earlier this month, Red Cross-trained lifeguards from Nebraska and Iowa came together at the Qwest Center in Omaha to guard Olympic hopefuls as they competed for a spot in the upcoming summer games in Beijing. Despite the fact that the swimmers are among the nation’s best, the two pools constructed especially for the Olympic trials do require lifeguards. However, traditional lifeguard duties are not part of the job description for the volunteers. Whistles were not blown to discourage roughhousing and “No running” was never shouted from atop tall chairs. Instead, volunteer lifeguards sat discreetly in the front row of the stands keeping a watchful eye out for injuries that might have occurred in the pools.
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Filed under: Health and Safety, Recruitment Tagged: | lifeguard, Olympics, swimming
