Geelong swimming centre lifeguard and shift supervisor Lauren is responsible for the safety of hundreds of men, women and children every day.
But sometimes the very people Lauren and her staff work to protect threaten the safety of lifeguards trying to do their job.
Local lifeguards are trained to enforce rules that could be the difference between life and death, such as the strict height requirement on two big waterslides at Leisurelink in Waurn Ponds.
Lauren recalled a specific incident where a parent began abusing staff over the height restriction.
“There was a patron yelling at a lifeguard so I asked him to come over into a quieter area and he immediately started going at me, like in my face, waving his hands aggressively, telling me to hand over a wristband and that his child will be going on the waterslide,” she said.
“He said, ‘Give me a wristband now, you have to give it to me!’ and I began to get quite shaken.”
“I just felt like I couldn’t get out of it and I explained to him that it’s a manufacturing requirement; if he’s not tall enough, he’s not safe to go on it and I want your child to go home safely.
“I also don’t want to be put in a position in the Coroner’s Court justifying why I ignored the manufacturer’s instructions.”
Eventually the man and his son left, leaving Lauren and other staff shaken.
“Just the look in his eyes; it just felt like he wanted to become more aggressive and I had to keep stepping back and step behind the counter in order for myself to feel safe,” she said.
“My whole body was shaking, and it wasn’t until I got home and I told my partner about it, that I burst into tears.”
Lauren has shared her story as part of the City’s Occupational Violence and Aggression awareness campaign.
Councillor Chris Burson said summer at our pools should be fun and memorable.
“Please treat our employees with respect; they’re someone’s neighbour, friend or parent,” he said.
“They’re doing vital work to make sure everyone has a good time and goes home safely.”
