Quiz & Quill

“The 10/20 Protection™ standard is a standard of care that lifeguards follow when scanning their assigned Zone of Protection® area… Specifically, a lifeguard must scan their entire assigned Zone of Protection® area in a manner that allows the recognition of a guest in distress within 10 seconds and reaching the guest in distress within 20 seconds and rendering aid.” 
– Ellis & Associates International Lifeguard Training Manual, 5th Edition (page 53) 
 

“Those first 30 seconds that the guest is in distress, is when the lifeguard on duty can have the most impact. Diligently maintaining the 10/20 Protection™ standard saves lives!” 
– Ellis & Associates International Lifeguard Training Manual, 5th Edition (page 50) 
 

There is a woman 
who stands behind the lifeguard. 
Shouting. 
 

She hurls feverishly crescendoing demands at their back 
as they wind up and down the path, 
serpentine and automatic, mechanical 
head bobbing and swiveling, 
pendulum chinned, 
eyes anchored to the depths, 
far below the narrow cliff-edge they pace, 
the well-worn trail aproning the wave-pool. 

 

Below,                                                              
there is a child tossed above the waves 
with reckless hands, flying ever-closer 
to the buoyed off wave-maker habitat 
as it heaves and puffs.

             there is a family huddled about the
      ladder’s exit, a small girl peering 
      around the rope’s edge 
a ten foot drop into four foot surf. 

there are five teenage boys – 
Hulk Hogan,      The Rock,     Rey Mysterio, The Undertaker, John Cena 
locked in combat, slipping past People’s Elbows, weaseling out of 

choke-slams. 
Splashing

                                                                  there is a toddler, disappearing behind 
thin sheets of falling water, translucent linens woven 
by the orange mushroom-fountain’s cap and gills 
her unconcerned older sister nearby.

there is a baby, half bowled over 
by the force of the oncoming blue 
clutching at hands and 
fingers, 
his father stooped over.

there is a cheerleading conference 
holding court among the white-caps 
Tossing and flipping and whistle-squealing 
dolphins for all to see amid the crowd.
 

                          there is a young girl diving through waves 
                       trajectory straight and hair tangled 
                    crashing to the surface, shattering the water 
                before it shatters her.

there are one-two-three – five assorted children, 
no two a pair: (three in life-vests, two 
scrabbling across the tile) docked 
along the hand-ledge like pontoon boats 
pitching in a storm.

                  the supervisor 
                        at the end of the camera, the manager 
  on the ground, the mothers 
    in their chairs, scraped 
   to the edge of the zero-depth– 

–and the Lifeguard, 
arch and sure-footed,

                       deafened 
                        by the rushing, shrieking cacophony 
                        cast over the park, bounced down from the ceiling;

 

blinded 
                                         by the roll of the drink, the glare 
                                      from the gold evening window, 
                         the fluid of the masses; 

                           

                       muted 
                                   by the whistle 
                                                     clenched between teeth, 
                                                               worrying their own furrow into 
                                                                  the plastic, a grip and a pastime.

​

And a woman 
behind the lifeguard. 
Shouting.

​

She wants her picture taken.1

1 “(Proactive scanning is ongoing while on duty, stopping only when:
- Properly relieved by another lifeguard (completed rotation).
- If an in-water rescue needs to be made (EAP is activated and you enter the water).
- The pool/zone is cleared of guests and closed (surveillance continues until the water is 
cleared)....

- “LIFEGUARD INTERNATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMTM” n.d. 5979 Vineland Rd. 
Suite 105 Orlando, FL 32819; Ellis & Associates, Inc.