By Hannah Hawkins

Special to the Post

I can remember when I knew I wanted to become a lifeguard.

My swim teammates and I were used to the piercing sounds of the pool alarms test early every morning. But once in a while at the large, multi-pool facility I swam at in England, they would go off mid practice. It usually meant that the entire center staff was doing something busy and important that possibly involved preventing a drowning or saving a life.

We had to get out of the way while they went into action. The older kids I looked up to on the team were all guards. They were paid for being in the one place I always knew I’d love to be.

Once there was a severe traffic accident right outside the building. Everyone was upset and witnesses were suffering from shock. A team of off-duty guards and directors went out to help. The cafeteria staff made tea, which is what everyone else does in England to be useful.

From a young age, everyone in that building was a friend or mentor, and seeing their professionalism and teamwork in an emergency was an inspiration. So now, wherever my path has taken me, my first stop is the local aquatic center.

Now as swim team director at the J.F. Hurley Family YMCA and Stanly County Family YMCA, I get to serve as coach and swimming advocate to all ages and also still help occasionally as a guard.

Finding qualified or interested lifeguards to add to the team is often challenging for aquatic directors. I can understand why. Wages are generally entry level, and a guard must be able to swim 300 yards, tread water, retrieve a 10-pound object from the deepest part of the pool and swim with it.

Candidates also must score 80 percent on CPR and lifeguarding tests. People could earn more working at a restaurant, with less responsibility.

There it is, though. Responsibility. It’s one of the core values for everyone here at the Y. A guard has to understand that once he or she puts on the shirt and picks up the rescue tube, that person must be professional at all times. They are the last best defense against drowning incidents.

It demands patience, kindness, customer service and a whopping sense of responsibility. Perhaps for this reason older adults also often become great lifeguard team members.

As a coach, I am glad when one of our swimmers becomes certified. I know that lifeguarding will give them a solid stepping stone or versatility. Their resume will show that they have American Red Cross certifications in Lifeguarding, CPR for the Professional Rescuer and First Aid.

College recruiters or employers will know that they have been trained to respond to emergencies and can think and act professionally as part of a team. Their parents and I know that they can go to any town, or college. They can walk into the pool and have a great chance of getting some work or finding a place to belong.

There are also often opportunities to teach lessons, become a pool operator or aquatics professional.

I’m passionate about water safety. Too many children and adults are at risk because they do not know how to swim or swim well. I want the world to know that water is the best path for the most people to personal health and fitness. It’s never too late to learn.

If my children can grow up knowledgeable about how to be safe around the water and have the skill and fitness to accompany it, then I believe I will have checked off a big item on my long parenting list.

Consider training at the Y and becoming a lifeguard. Or get yourself and your child to start at the Y, even just playing in the fun pool. They will be in that water and improving all year round.

For me the water is my break from the stresses of life and especially the ever-encroaching screen time. And when I get to lifeguard, I’m fulfilled because I’m doing something that enables others to enjoy the benefits of the water safely.

If you’d like to get more information about lifeguard certification or aquatic programming, please contact the J.F Hurley YMCA at 704-636-0111 or Stanly County Family YMCA at 704-982-1916.

Hannah Hawkins is swim team director for the J.F. Hurley Family YMCA and Stanly County Family YMCA.