Photo By Cpl. Jackeline Perez Rivera | Marines demonstrate how to safely remove a drowning victim in need of a backboard...... read more read more
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CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - A day at the beach can be fun, but nature can be unpredictable. Large waves, strong currents and deep water can prove to be a hazard in the right conditions.
To combat this, Marines are training to patrol Onslow Beach this summer as lifeguards in a comprehensive six-week course taught by Marine Corps Community Services.
“We want to make sure people can enjoy their summer without getting hurt,” said Katie Wright, a lifeguard instructor with MCCS.
To be a part of the class, Marines must be chosen by their command. They must swim 500 meters, dive to the bottom of the pool to retrieve a brick and complete the MCCS class, which certifies them through the American Red Cross as a waterfront lifeguard.
“We’re working with (lifeguard instructors) who take the time to teach us instead of saying ‘hey just get out there and do it,’” said Cpl. Matthew Delessandro, a student in the class. “So I think by the time the course is done we’ll definitely be ready to go out there and save some lives and do what we need to do.”
The Marines will be responsible for ensuring safety at the beach. They will monitor the shore from safety posts and by walking through the beach patrolling the area. They will prevent injuries by minimizing or eliminating hazardous situations and ensure that beach rules are being followed.
“Being Marines, we know how to take care of each other,” said Delessandro. “So there’s no one else out there who’s better than Marines to take care of Marines and their families at the beach.”
The Marines are spending many hours learning life saving skills, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid skills such as applying splints and caring for head, neck and back injuries.
“We started out refining their strokes, teaching them to swim properly,” said Wright.
From there they began learning how to use their equipment and how to reach victims under a number of circumstances. They learned how to rescue passive, active and submerged drowning victims, how to use an automated external defibrillator and how to remove a person from the water using a backboard.
“Anything can go wrong at a beach,” said Delessandro. “I think Marines are best at dealing with different situations.”
With the Marines armed with the knowledge and skills necessary to watch out for them, swimmers at Onslow Beach need not fear the water and can instead enjoy a summer of fun in the sun.
| Date Taken: | 04.28.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 05.04.2012 15:32 |
| Story ID: | 87918 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 586 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Marines train to become lifeguards, by Cpl Jackeline Perez Rivera, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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