LIFEGUARD

Thank you for your interest in becoming a member of the Rehoboth Beach Patrol. Since 1921, the beach patrol has been assisting distressed swimmers and beach bathers on Rehoboth’s beaches. Needless to say, we are very concerned about the quality of personnel that protect and serve our beach patrons.

• You must be 16 years of age for employment at the start of the Summer Season. Individuals who are 15 years of age can still tryout but will need to be 16 years of age on or before the Memorial Day Weekend.
• You must be certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and First Aid.
• You must pass a pre‑employment physical test. The test is designed to evaluate your running and swimming capabilities as well as your ability to follow instructions.
• Upon successful completion of the pre‑employment test, the Captain of the patrol will interview you.
• You must be in excellent physical shape the first day of work. All rookies, regardless of experience or certifications, must participate in a rigorous training program supervised by a section lieutenant. This training culminates in a ‘Rookie Test’ in mid‑July. You must have 25 training days to take the test, so attendance is emphasized. All rookies must attempt to qualify for and take the ‘Rookie Test’.
  
  If you fail to complete a workout session or fail to perform satisfactorily based on your lieutenant’s evaluation, you will be counseled. Failure to perform on a consistent basis will lead to dismissal.
• You must be prepared to learn. Every beach has its own particular hazards and rules, which you will be expected to know. The lieutenants and veteran guards will take an active interest in you becoming competent with the beach patrol’s rules, procedures, and organization. We will also train you to be the best surf‑lifeguard possible. A beach patrol handbook has been developed which covers most of the information you will need to learn.
  
  This handbook will be dispersed once you are hired. All members of the patrol must pass a cognitive test on the material in the handbook, as well as a general lifesaving and first aid test upon returning each year.

• Run 1 mile continuously (must complete in under 7:30 minutes)
• Push‑ups (Females- 30 push‑ups in 1 minute / Males- 40 push‑ups in 1 minute)
• Sit‑ups (Females- 40 sit‑ups in 1 minute / Males- 50 sit‑ups in 1 minute)
• Swim 500 meters/550 yards (must complete in under 10 minutes)
• Sprint swim 100 yards (must complete in under 1:30 seconds)
• 25‑yard underwater swim without surfacing (1 length of pool)
• Perform pool rescues (cross‑chest)
• Without equipment of any sort, perform a simulated rescue: swim 50 yards to passive victim; move victim to horizontal position; tow victim using a cross chest carry 25 yards back to shallow end of pool; release on command. Do not let go of victim before instructed to do so and do not make contact with pool bottom or walls at any time.
• Perform the following deep‑water rescue: while in a short approach to the victim, observe victim sink beneath pool surface. Upon reaching victim’s former position perform a surface dive to bottom of pool (8 feet deep) and return victim to the surface in a cross‑chest carry.