Lifeguard Fired for Attempting to Rescue Drowning Man
Every lifeguard wants to be a hero, but you can't just go around saving people willy-nilly. Tomas Lopez learned that the hard way when he got fired for trying to save someone outside of his jurisdiction.
The 21-year-old lifeguard was working on Hallandale Beach in Florida when he was approached about a man drowning in the unprotected part of the beach. Even though it wasn't technically his job, Lopez ran toward the man. By the time he got there, other beachgoers had pulled the drowning man from the water — but Lopez had already committed a serious offense.
Lopez worked for private aquatic safety contractor Jeff Ellis and Associates, who is only paid to patrol a certain portion of the beach. Company spokesperson Susan Ellis said that having an employee leave his zone could have been a liability issue.
But it certainly doesn't look good that a lifeguard was fired for trying to go above and beyond the call of duty. Luckily the drowning man made it through the ordeal, but Lopez is now out of a job. And who's going to hire a lifeguard with a history of attempting out-of-zone rescues? We can't have anarchy on the beach.
