Crucial Role of Lifeguards & Staff

Did you know that the North Shore aquatics center employs around 100 part-time seasonal staff members each year, with about half of them returning from the previous year, and out of these 100 employees, only 65 are certified (ARC) American Red Cross Lifeguards? To become certified as an ARC Lifeguard each member must attend a 30–40-hour course and pass three tests with a minimum score of 80 percent.

North Shore requires that our staff stay up to date on all our training; each Friday morning North Shore holds in-service training for two hours and our staff is required to attend a minimum of two training sessions per month (four hours). We train on everything from our EAP (Emergency Action Plan) to customer service.

We pride ourselves on being “Rescue Ready”. Just this year, we have put our skills to the test with over 50 water rescues, countless first aids that range from scraped knees to insect stings, and even a couple that required more advanced medical care.

Many people wonder why the Lifeguards never smile while sitting on their chairs. Fun fact: North Shore lifeguards take their job very seriously and guard with their whistles in their mouths, legs never crossed, and they are always searching their assigned zones.

Next time you come and visit us, take a quick look at the staff’s whistle lanyards and the colored beads, this will tell you a lot about this employee, their certifications, and accomplishments.

• White – Years of service (3,5,7 etc.)
• Black – Exceeds expectations.
• Green – Patron Recognition
• Red – Accident Prevention/Lifesaving.
• Dark Blue – Aide or Instructor
• Light Blue – Employee of the Week
• Pink – Leadership/Management Training
• Orange – Certified Water Safety Instructor
• Yellow – Certified Lifeguard Instructor
• Purple – Worked on a Major EAP (Emergency Action Plan)

We are proud of the North Shore Team and want to thank them for another successful year!