A matter of life and death.(lifeguards surveys)(Editorial)

He looked young, too young to carry such a heavy burden. On grainy video, "Reed" recalled the day he saw a young girl die on his lifeguard watch. With halting words, he said he still remembered his fallow guard breaking the surface with the lifeless girl in his arms. That night, he said, he kept seeing the little girl in his room, had to keep the light on. Sometimes, even four years later, he still does.

The video, part of a seminar I recently attended, was a stark reminder of the heavy responsibilities lifeguards shoulder every day. And it only reinforced the importance of an article in this month's issue. The article focuses on a survey that asked lifeguards about their alcohol consumption and work habits, and it produced some disturbing results.

It may be no surprise that some lifeguards drink. Many of them, like Reed, are young kids, eager to experiment, have fun. But for lifeguards, the fun should never affect their job performance. Too often, it does. The survey even found that some lifeguards are drinking at work.

Certainly, none of this is done maliciously. Most lifeguards who work impaired by alcohol probably have no idea of the risks they're taking. That's why this article is so important. Along with suggesting how big the problem is, it goes into detail about how ...