Choosing a Women’s Lifeguard Suit

Women’s lifeguarding suits come in an array of different styles which may leave you questioning which style is best for you. It’s important to learn which style suits you best because different brands offer different cuts, styles, and material. Let’s get started.

 

One-Piece Suits

The most popular women’s lifeguard suits are one-pieces due to conservative dress code policies at certain facilities. These suits are made from fabrics like polyester, nylon, and spandex as well as Lyrca. Lyrca is known for its stretching ability which allows you to wear it comfortably for an extended amount of time. Another feature these suits have to offer comfort is a keyhole and/or open back. This helps with the suit fitting properly and comfortably both in the water and out. These suits traditionally come in either red or blue; however, The Lifeguard Store offers them in red, navy blue, royal blue, as well as black. Reversible suits are an option as well which allow you to have two colors in one.

Two-Piece Suits

There are also two-piece suits available for women, Bikinis and Tankinis. To some women, one-piece suits can seem to give them discomfort while a two-piece aids with mobility and allows them to work at ease. Most bikinis remain modest without cutting very low to refrain from showing too much skin. These suits are made from similar fabrics as traditional suits, including Lyrca. Tankinis are very similar to bikinis except the top covers more skin, typically past the belly button. Reversible suits are also available in two-piece suits.

 

Lifeguard Apparel

Because the weather not always be nice, it’s important to wear other Lifeguard Apparel in layers. Such items include shorts, t-shirts, hoodies, and jackets. These items need to be quick to pull off in an emergency situation and must be labeled with Guard or Lifeguard.

How to: Choose the Right Life Jacket

With the sun beaming down on you and the water spraying you, there will be those moments where not wearing a life jacket is tempting. Luckily, modern life jackets come in a variety of styles, colors, and sizes for you to choose the best fit. With that said, how do you choose!? 

 

Your life jacket must be U.S. Coast Guard approved, the proper size, in good condition, and needs to be properly stowed when not being used.

Sizing

The proper size of your life jacket depends on your height and weight, check the manufacturer's label to make sure you have the correct size. Once you have done so, make sure you fastened the jacket properly. You want to be able to move freely and comfortably. To ensure you have the correct size, hold your arms above your head and ask a friend to pull up from the tops of the arm openings. If there is excess room above the openings or your jacket rides up past your chin, you have the wrong size.

Common Life Jackets

 Vest Type II - These are the most common styles that are typically found on boats of all sizes. They require little maintenance, offer good flotation, and are less bulky than offshore vests. These types of vests can even turn unconscious wearers face up.

Children's Life Jackets - These are specially designed for smaller stature as well as possible immersion in mind. Similar to the original vest type, these offer very little maintenance. Depending on the brand, some of the children's life jackets offer special safety features for children.

Vest-Type Floatation Aid - As with the other vests, this vest requires little maintenance and is designed for possible immersion. This style is designed for high impact, high speed activities such as waterskiing. These type of jackets may not turn unconscious wearers face up.

If you are still having trouble which life jacket would be best for you, we would love to help you out!

Swimming Pool Safety Tips

Whether you are at a public or private pool, there are many things to keep in mind to keep children of all ages safe.

Children under five and adolescents between the ages of 15-24 have the highest drowning rates.

1. Lifeguard on Duty

The most common swimming safety tip is to only swim when there is a lifeguard or responsible parent present. Accidents do happen from time-to-time and can be fatal. Be per-cautious and take the steps needed to ensure the safety of your child. Even the most experience swimmers can be overwhelmed or distracted by others. Using the buddy system is another great idea!

2. No Horseplay

You know how the lifeguard is usually saying, "No Running!" right? There is a reason for that! A lifeguard's job is to ensure the safety of the individuals at the pool. As adults, you know that running on slippery surfaces can be very dangerous. In addition to this, someone could accidentally fall into the pool, run into a smaller child, etc. All of these things can cause injury, so be sure to set guidelines when you are poolside.

3.Stay Near the Pool

We are all busy and have a list of things we need to get done, but it can wait. The risk of stepping away can result in serious consequences. Trust me, it's not worth it. If something is immediate, have everyone get out of the pool for a quick break.

4. One Word: Sunscreen

Who likes a sunburn? No one! Children may try to get away without sunscreen, but don't let them. Sunscreen is one of the most important items when swimming. It's best to choose a water-resistant sunscreen and it should be applied every 2-3 hours (or simply follow the instructions on the sunscreen). Applying sunscreen to your children can preemptively stop the pain and agony of a sunburn. There are even SPF Lip Balm and SPF Nose Balm to keep you safe.

5. Water Breaks

If you notice someone getting tired, weak, etc - call a water break! It's better to be safe than sorry. Swimming can be very tiresome, so it's important to call breaks when needed. Have them rehydrate with some water and rest a bit - then let the fun commence!

If you have a pool of your own, it's important to have these rules enforced as well as a first aid kits on hand. The Lifeguard Store can also equip you with your pool maintenance equipment such as rakes/skimmers, water test strips, pool vacuums, and much much more!

Reasons to Become a Lifeguard

Pheww! We've finally caught a break in the weather and it's finally starting to warm up! With summer right around the corner, you're probably searching for the perfect summer job. Of course there is always fast food restaurants, convenient stores, and large box retailers but don't you want something enjoyable and rewarding? Lifeguarding is the best summer job! Here are some reasons why:

1. Summers Only

Because many pool facilities are only open during the summer, it's the perfect opportunity for a 'summer-only' job. Many places won't hire you if they know you only plan to work a couple of months before going back to school, going to back to your normal job, etc. They don't want to spend the time and money to train you, just for you to turn around and leave. You can avoid this by getting certified to become a lifeguard!

2. Many Opportunities

Once you are certified to be a lifeguard, you are able to work at a wide variety of places. Your community pool is a great place to start, but once you have more experience you can begin looking elsewhere. There are always water parks, lakes, and ocean beaches that are looking for lifeguards. The demand for lifeguards is HUGE.

3. Role Model

Do you remember going to the pool when you were younger and you thought being a lifeguard would be the perfect job?! That's because it is! Being a lifeguard means that you are a role model to many of the young children that visit the pool every single day. You have the opportunity to make an impact in a young child's life. You may even have the opportunity to assist them in swim lessons!
  

4.Meeting new people

You will meet a lot of new people that may have the same interests as you. Whether you like to swim competitively or for recreation, or even enjoy the warmer weather - you're sure to make new friends. You never know who you could meet! It's always enjoyable to work in an environment when individuals share same likes as you. It won't even feel like work!

5. Great for your Resume

Yup, that's right! As a lifeguard you are not only enforcing safety, but are also responsible for many individuals other than yourself. As a lifeguard you must be good at multitasking, listening, excellent decision making skills, etc. Also, holding a summer job shows that you mature and dependable. These are all great skills future employers will be looking for.

If this sounds like a job that you would enjoy, check out the Red Cross to find a location near you to become certified. Once you have scored a lifeguarding job, we have all the Lifeguarding must-haves and extras! Be sure to check them out here!

Product Spotlight: Competitor Lane Lines

Imagine that you show up to a swim meet and there isn't swim lanes - that's a crazy thought isn't it? When swimming competitively, these lanes are not only used to help you stay away from others swimmers but also to help with draft and dead spots. Our top-of-the-line Competitor Lanes give you calm water for you to trudge through in order to beat your competition!

 

The Lifeguard Store has many options when purchasing your custom swim lanes that are perfect for your pool. As you know, pools come in many different sizes. For competitive swimming, the two common sizes are a Short Course and a Long Course. The Short Course is 25 meters long and is the common size of public swimming pools while the Long Course is 50 meters long, also known as Olympic sized. If you are looking for different lengths, we offer more sizes such as our 60' lane, 75' lane, or we even offer our 60' 6" Gold Medal Lane.

 

 

Want your swim lanes customized? We take it a step further! That's right. Here at The Lifeguard Store we allow you to have full control of the look of your lanes. Do you want your lanes to have just two colors? What about having two different colors for your middle segments and a distinctive 15 meter marker? The options are endless! Be sure to check out our Competitor Lane Viewer to see what colors look the best for your pool. Unlike our competition, we have 12 colors to choose from!

From cables to floats, we sell a wide variety of replacement parts to keep you in the water!

Product Spotlight: Rescue Tube

Also known as a Rescue Buoy, the Rescue Tube is a vital piece of equipment when it comes to water rescue. Lifeguards worldwide use these flotation devices when rescuing victims from harsh waters or foul play. The Rescue Tubes not only make  rescue easier by supporting an incredible amount of weight, but it also serves as identification of certified lifeguards.

Rescue Tubes come in various sizes, but typical tubes are either 40" or 50". The size of the swimming area determines which size Rescue Tube would be best. For example, the 40" Super Rescue Tube is preferred if a swimming pool is fairly small or if there is 10 or less people swimming at one time. For a larger pool, our 50" Super Rescue or our 50" Standard Rescue Tube would be ideal! Our Standard Rescue Tube comes in a various amount of colors which include Red, Yellow, Orange, Navy, Tropical Blue, Aqua Blue, or Hunter Green.

Most of the typical rescue tubes are red, but why not switch things up? We have unique designs that will make you stand out. Do you love animal print? If so, you will absolutely love our 50" Zebra Rescue Tube or our 50" Giraffe Rescue Tube! If animal prints aren't your thing, but you still want something unique we have a one-of-a-kind 50" Splash Rescue Tube that offers just enough character. All of our rescue tubes are reliable, durable, and long lasting.


 
Early versions were constructed of aluminum, wood, cork, and fiberglass, with rope rails.





Do you want to show your love for Lifeguarding outside of the water? What about your love for swimming? The Lifeguard Store has Mini Swim and Mini Guard Rescue Tube Key Chains that make the perfect accessory.

As always, all of our Rescue Tubes are Low Price Guaranteed.