Today the Department of Parks turns the spotlight on Bermudians Jonah Trott, 16 and Zorena Anderson, 17, who work as Reserve Surf Lifeguards during their spare time.
Jonah and Zorena joined the Lifeguard service within the Department of Parks in July. The Lifeguard season runs between April and November.
Jonah plans to attend university and go on to study for a career in the medical field (general medicine, cardiovascular surgeon, EMT or Paramedic) and currently attends the Berkeley Institute.
He said: “Since I was young, I always thought becoming a lifeguard would be a great job after I noted how fit they are, the lives they save and I liked the idea of working on the beach and being paid for it.”
In giving advice to others interested in becoming a Lifeguard, Jonah added: “Don’t think you can wait to do the course to get fit. You don’t have to be a club swimmer to be a Lifeguard, but you have to be a strong swimmer.”
Meanwhile, Zorena, who attends Warwick Academy, joined the service in July and is settling comfortably in her new role. Zorena plans to pursue a business-related degree in the UK.
She said: “My good friend told me about the Lifeguard programme. I was immediately interested as I love being outdoors and I do a lot of fitness training.
“It was a chance to earn money while still being active outdoors, which is hard to do in Bermuda.” Zorena gave this advice to others thinking of becoming a Lifeguard: “My advice is to take advantage of all unique opportunities available to you in Bermuda.
“These experiences can open doors for you and improve your communication and teamwork skills which are life skills that you will use forever.”
Jonah and Zorena were required to undergo an intense 9-day course. They received training on the same level as the Royal Life Saving Society’s UK National Beach Lifeguard Qualification (NVBLQ).
Nathan Trott, RN, the Lifeguard Superintendent, said, “Having passed a very demanding course over the summer, the Department of Parks’ Lifeguard Service welcomed successful candidates Zorena and Jonah to our Team for the 2022 Lifeguarding season.
“Where much is learned in the course, their ‘on the job’ experiences have allowed them to continue to develop their critical thinking and formally utilize their newly acquired land & aquatic lifesaving skills.
“The Department looks forward to Zorena and Jonah continuing to uphold our high standards and displaying great work ethics as they advance in the practice of Lifeguarding in our National Park System.”