What Do Lifeguard, Ski Patrol, or Recreational Protective Service Worker Do?
Occupation Description Monitor recreational areas, such as pools, beaches, or ski slopes to provide assistance and protection to participants.
What Do Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Recreational Protective Service Workers Do On a Daily Basis?
- Inspect recreational facilities for cleanliness.
- Patrol or monitor recreational areas such as trails, slopes, or swimming areas, on foot, in vehicles, or from towers.
- Participate in recreational demonstrations to entertain resort guests.
- Complete and maintain records of weather and beach conditions, emergency medical treatments performed, and other relevant incident information.
- Rescue distressed persons, using rescue techniques and equipment.
- Operate underwater recovery units.
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Qualities of a Lifeguard, Ski Patrol, or Recreational Protective Service Worker
Below is a list of the skills most Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Recreational Protective Service Workers say are important on the job.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Rescue Worker
- Swim Instructor
- Outdoor Emergency Care Technician
- Certified Ski Patroller
- Surveillance System Monitor
Is There Going to be Demand for Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Recreational Protective Service Workers?
There were about 152,100 jobs for Lifeguard, Ski Patrol, or Recreational Protective Service Worker in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7.6% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 11,600 new jobs for Lifeguard, Ski Patrol, or Recreational Protective Service Worker by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 39,700 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Lifeguard, Ski Patrol, or Recreational Protective Service Worker are Utah, Colorado, and New Jersey. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Rhode Island, or West Virginia. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What is the Average Salary of a Lifeguard, Ski Patrol, or Recreational Protective Service Worker
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Recreational Protective Service Workers make between $17,560 and $34,400 a year.

Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Recreational Protective Service Workers who work in Hawaii, District of Columbia, or Alaska, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Recreational Protective Service Workers in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $19,300 |
Alaska | $37,510 |
Arizona | $24,770 |
Arkansas | $20,360 |
California | $34,430 |
Colorado | $25,330 |
Connecticut | $25,520 |
Delaware | $22,820 |
District of Columbia | $36,810 |
Florida | $26,690 |
Georgia | $20,660 |
Hawaii | $40,370 |
Idaho | $19,870 |
Illinois | $24,220 |
Indiana | $19,900 |
Iowa | $20,330 |
Kansas | $19,560 |
Kentucky | $19,620 |
Louisiana | $19,670 |
Maine | $23,460 |
Maryland | $22,650 |
Massachusetts | $27,940 |
Michigan | $25,160 |
Minnesota | $25,260 |
Mississippi | $19,840 |
Missouri | $19,280 |
Montana | $21,200 |
Nebraska | $21,760 |
Nevada | $22,460 |
New Hampshire | $24,820 |
New Jersey | $25,620 |
New Mexico | $20,890 |
New York | $27,630 |
North Carolina | $20,210 |
North Dakota | $25,030 |
Ohio | $20,570 |
Oklahoma | $19,260 |
Oregon | $24,510 |
Pennsylvania | $20,320 |
Rhode Island | $25,360 |
South Carolina | $21,090 |
South Dakota | $22,150 |
Tennessee | $20,320 |
Texas | $21,450 |
Utah | $21,500 |
Vermont | $25,760 |
Virginia | $23,180 |
Washington | $29,120 |
West Virginia | $21,270 |
Wisconsin | $20,810 |
Wyoming | $26,560 |
What Tools do Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Recreational Protective Service Workers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Recreational Protective Service Workers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Publisher
Becoming a Lifeguard, Ski Patrol, or Recreational Protective Service Worker
Education needed to be a Lifeguard, Ski Patrol, or Recreational Protective Service Worker:

What work experience do I need to become a Lifeguard, Ski Patrol, or Recreational Protective Service Worker?

Who Employs Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Recreational Protective Service Workers?

Below are examples of industries where Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Recreational Protective Service Workers work:

Related Careers
Those who work as a Lifeguard, Ski Patrol, or Recreational Protective Service Worker sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: Brian M. Powell via Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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