In Phoenix, A New Quest For Diverse Public Pool Lifeguards

life guard certification requires both written and practical examination. If they no longer require certification then liability will become a major issue.

Hey, if some hack who knows how to bend a coat hanger just so... can perform an abortion to take a life, how much expertise does it take to save one.......

Now the not speaking Spanish or Ebonics part really worries me - if someone is taking on water and thrashing around, how is a lifeguard to understand that they are drowning if there's a language barrier like that???????

In stead of adding the "/s" tag, I'll see if it flies as satire....

I suppose its possible that some racial groups tend to be drawn more towards sports than others. It could be a cultural or genetic difference.

The differences in bone density between blacks and whites has something to do with ease of floating.

And she should have been the one to point out that it is the responsibility of the parents to make sure their kids can swim and become lifeguards. It is NOT her responsibility to be a racist.

The left's fantacy of KKK members everywhere is nuts. It's led to good party members attempting to prove themselves by 'defending' blacks more than the next liberal. Climbing over each other to 'spot' victimhood... Reminds me of Biden claiming credit for saving blacks from being in chains. Big fat insane ego trip - and insulting to blacks at the same time. Seems liberal elite think of themselves as Grand Protectors of the savages or something. I'm amazed blacks keep these people in office.

“Women tend to have more fat, plus lower bone density. It makes them better able to float.”

I suppose the question of why we don’t have more female life guards(only about 10% according to this aricle: http://peninsulademocrat.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/san-diego-lifeguards-michael-russell-raises-questions-concerning-gender-diversity-and-salaries/ ) is maybe the uper-body strength issue with carrying the dead weight of unconscious victims, or otherwise pulling them to shore.

Beyond that women are better long distant swimmers because they spend less energy staying afloat. But that doesn’t really help them if they have to keep someone else afloat as well, nor does it disadvantage men with the assistance of life jackets.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/325770-lifeguard-training-exercises/

It's true that higher bone density makes you a "sinker", and that probably discourages some blacks from learning to swim.

BUT - I think it's primarily cultural, not bone density. Most guys tend to sink, as do women who are thin or have fairly heavy frames.

I was a champion sinker as a VERY skinny youngster and teenager, in fact I preferred to swim underwater because it was easier. I'm short with very broad shoulders and a lot of bone, sort of like a mountain pony. Even with the middle-aged spread of a 50ish matron, I still don't float well enough to keep my face free, unless I cram my lungs full of air and adopt the "drownproofing" posture.

But I had my Red Cross Lifeguard cert. by age 15, WSI by 18, just got my BSA cert a few years ago along with my daughter (who is also a natural sinker). It's because our family were always swimmers, boaters, water skiers, etc. and grew up on the water. I don't remember when I first learned to swim.

My daughter's roommate in college was a Latina from San Antonio. There was no culture of swimming where she grew up. She couldn't swim, had never swum, only learned because the college required it for graduation (a good idea in my opinion - GA Tech has had that requirement for years and so did my undergraduate college).

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.