Amen. I'd feel safer swimming in Hallandale with Tomas on the lifeguard stand than Jeff Ellis

Yes, that lifeguard company should lose its contract.

Agreed.

While I do not agree with firing the lifeguard, I can understand the company's problem. Had someone in the area he was supposed to be watching gotten in trouble and drowned while he was off in an unguarded area providing help the lawsuit would have been huge. The people swimming in the protected area had a right to expect that protection to be there is needed, not down the beach in an unprotected area helping someone else. The guy got in trouble swimming in an area that was posted as swim at your own risk and unfortunately, that is what the statement means, at your own risk. The company has a contract to protect a certain stretch of beach and that has to be their priority. The people on the protected part of the beach were not swimming at their own risk and expected a lifeguard to be there if they got in trouble. The firing was definitely a bit of an overreaction on the part of the company, but I can understand to a degree where they were coming from. Unfortunately, in our overly litigious society, going outside of your area of responsibility while ignoring your primary duty can have major consequences. I am glad that no one drowned and that everything turned out OK, but that does not change the problem. Perhaps a reminder of the company policy and a verbal reprimand would have been sufficient, but when it comes right down to it, he put people he was responsible for at increased risk to help someone he was not responsible for. I am not saying the guy should have done anything differently and I am sure I would probably have done the same thing, I am just saying that I can understand the tough spot the company was placed in by his actions. I know this post sounds cold and I will likely get flamed for it, but this is the unfortunate reality in our sue happy society.

wow! your all heart. He's not in the right area, let the guy drownd is what your saying. It's a real shame that people look to the letter of the law instead of common sense, and doing the right thing.

I thoroughly agree.....a company that has that little caring for a life should not be in charge of lifeguarding in that city. FIRE THE COMPANY AND GET ANOTHER COMPANY TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.

This might be an example of why it is a mistake to outsource safety functions previously handled by the city. This would include fire and police. A private corporation has different goals than a public entity and safety of the public can be second in priority.

JS , Would you have the same opinion if it was one of your loved one that was drowning . This is what happens when you put profit into a life or death situation , people can die while the paperwork gets shuffled.

As for leaving his area unattended , there should be proper zone coverage anyway , in the event that 2 or more people got into trouble in his area . Rip tides are quite common and can cause multiple drownings at the same time.

Annoyed usually - this guy has a point. It's sure sad but with all the stupid lawsuits out there, this kid and company would be held accountable if something happened while he was gone. The judges in this country don't use common sense anymore. That's what has made it impossible for an employee to use his own good judgement. This is a perfect example. Yes, they are offering him his job back now but do you think they didn't make a point to all their other LifeGuards? Don't you dare go out of your little area to help a human being because you will get fired.

Common Sense.......and humanity should be the cornerstone of our country - not policy. Unfortunately, it also comes down to WHO he went to help. If it would've been a Celebrity or a Politician, it would have been okay but a commoner - well, we're going to have to fire you!

But what about his morale obligations? No one stops to think about those any more , I still believe what he did out weighs any contractual obligation his company has with the city PERIOD!

JS, one of his co-workers that quit said that he heard Tomas say over the walkie-talkie that he was going for a save outside of their zone. That could be construed as an indirect request that the other guards in that area take over for him. He apparently was the closest guard to where the person was in distress.

He alerted coworkers he was leaving his zone for a rescue so he did not "abandon his post". Personally, I would rather live with the consequences of my action than the guilt of my lack of action!

Ah. Poor kid. Sooner or later he is going to have to realize that corporate interests trump all human decency.

Sad.

well, im thinking the company has lost its contract. The buyer within the city/county who hired them gets their walking papers, and the idiot who fired the lifeguard, gets a job, if they are lucky, somewhere in the mojave dessert.

The policy should be, "If someone is drowning, try to save them. Period.

Even if he was assisting someone else in his zone, someone ELSE in his zone could drown too. Maybe the answer is more than one LG to a zone.... NOT, "let them drown if they aren't in your zone". I don't care if someone at a Burger King across the street was choking, if someone tells you someone is dying, and there is a reasonable chance you can help, you try. PERIOD.

People like JS are comfortable sitting back and letting someone drown who could be saved, that is until they are the person in the water who is in trouble, what an a$$hole!!

LetsMoveOn, you're wrong. Good Samaritan laws would protect the company from liability. This is 100 percent the company's snafu.

Ah privatization...so much better than having the local municipality run the lifeguard service. This is garbage!!! When you hire a private company to do work like this they are thinking about one thing and one thing only, the bottom line. Not serving the public. Privatization of the functions of local government will ultimately render those functions less effective and more expensive.

LetsMoveOn (#2.9): Yes, you're right, they sure are offering him his job back, and it definitely didn't take long either. I'm pretty sure the only point that was made was one that says they were in the wrong about firing him for going to help someone out of the area.

Privatization simply means handing the contract to 'compassionate conservative' cronies whose compassion is determined by the bottom line.

"If he was well-intentioned and tried to do what he believed was the right thing, even if he deviated from policy, I'm not sure termination was the right thing to do," Ellis said in a statement."

HOW FAST CAN YOU SAY BACKTRACK!

What would happen if it was the presidents son, outside the ZONE.?????

That lifeguard is a hero!So if a cop sees a murder about to happen but its 2 feet out of his city should he just walk away?So sad that there are rules as to saveing a life. I bet if the person drowning was a child of the person who fired him he would have been hailed a hero by his boss.As far as the area he was to stay watching what if 3 people were needing help at the same time? he would have had to choose who to help and couldnt have helped them all at once.There probably was more than one guard on duty any how & if not the should have been.

I will remember to stay out of that city when I travel and spend my money. There are plenty of other beaches to visit. People need to wise up and do likewise. For the people that live in that city fire whoever hired that service next election and find someone with common sense.

I'd like to remind all of you that this is about business, and business doesn't work unless we all follow the rules AND the whims of our managers, no matter how loathsome and incompetent, respectively, they might be.

Unless, of course, like me you believe that the past couple of generations of managers, who have largely been selected for political reasons rather than for competence or ability, are responsible for much of the decline of this country. Granted, they followed orders, but if the orders made no sense....? I'd say this young man was a budding revolutionary, and as such, he's a danger to the status quo. He's lucky he wasn't drawn and quartered. :)

Don't worry JS...I have to agree with you on your points...they chose to swim in an area that stated at your own risk...most of the people bashing you would likely be the first to sue the company if something happened and the LG was not where he was suppose to be when he was needed in the protected zone... Cabby88...I would say I was in a union and was currently on break.

Letsmove: Do you really need your font that large?

Once again, it's the deadbeat lawyers that have this country so F___D up that someone even feels the need stop and think about something as obvious as saving a person's life. I sure hope Ellis' house isn't just over the border of another county, should his dumbass need the Police or Fire Departments. "Sorry Sir, your in the wrong county, we'll just have to let it burn!" What a joke...

Good Job Kid, Ya done right!!

Okay, don't go burning JS at the stake, at least not alone. I agree, as soon as Tomas left his "assigned area" he opened his employer up for a lawsuit had someone in that area gotten in trouble. Read JS's comment again, there's no agreement with the company and I think the company's action is way out of line, Tomas is a hero. Offering him his job back, who couldn't see that coming, is absolutely a reaction to the media attention this is being given.

Ellis Associates should have their contract with the city terminated.To terminate an employee under the reported conditions show a complete lack of good judgement and wanton disregard for human life.

another fine example of your tax dollars at work.....to a private contractor...

That young man should be given a medal!!! While the self important idiots who fired him, should be publicly flogged. That lifeguard put life, limb, and common sense ahead of the rules and did the right thing. That's the trouble with us all now We're a bunch of "Go With the Flowers." Nobody stands up and does the right thing, speaks their minds. We all follow our leaders blindly and the stupid rules they make for us. I glad to see that there are a few (Damn Few) good & decent people left in this country.

Another problem in FLORIDA??? Man, that state is becoming the Armpit of america... Give it to Castro, He'll straighten them out. And I thought Texas was bad.. Wait a minute, what do those states have in common?? The Bushs'

As an Ellis & Associates lifeguard and lifeguard instructor, it is very disappointing to see how many people are condemning Jeff Ellis. As of the article yesterday, Ellis said, "The zone was never left unprotected." This statement defends the fired lifeguard. It is clear to me that it was a person hired to manage this beach was stupidly confused. Hate the person that fired Lopez, not the man that said that he did the right thing.

The contract should be ended ASAP as the current contracted lifeguard company is to freaking worried about their profits and not the beach goers, I am willing to bet that there should have been 2 lifeguards on that stretch of the beach, and they choose not to hire two to save the freaking bottom line??

For those of you jumping on me, I suggest you read my entire post, as @T Riley obviously had the courtesy to do. I clearly said that "I am not saying the guy should have done anything differently and I am sure I would probably have done the same thing, I am just saying that I can understand the tough spot the company was placed in by his actions." I think that this pretty well sums up this whole affair. The guy did what any self respecting human being would do, however, from a legal standpoint this could have been a disaster for him and his company if someone in the area he was supposed to be protecting had gotten in trouble and drowned. Unfortunately courts do not look at things like good intentions, they look at legal responsibilities and this often creates a conflict between doing what we all know is the right thing to do morally and ethically, and what we would have to do to avoid putting ourselves in jeopardy legally. This guy put himself and his company in jeopardy from a legal standpoint even though he did the right thing morally and ethically. Luckily for all concerned, including him, this time everything turned out OK.

Don't you dare go out of your little area to help a human being because you will get fired.

In many states - STATE LAW over-rides company policy - fail to render life saving assistance and you will get arrested and prosecuted. If you can't swim - you are ok not getting in the water - but - a person able to swim well (especially a trained lifeguard) would be held accountable.

Privitization at it's finest. Thanks for contracting out the safety of the citizens/taxpayers, Hallandale

It's so wonderful living in a nation where all of our corporate overlords continually privitize all profit while they socialize all debt. That's when they aren't too busy outsourcing any and all outsourceable jobs.

This is what happens to a country who's citizens are so hung up on thier selfishness, prejudices and bigotry that they're willing to constantly put corrupt thugs in political power so long as they speak towards their selfish concerns (fox much?). This country deserves everything that's happening to it.

You think it's bad now? Just wait until Obama leaves office... He could have been a game-changer or healer for this nation. Instead, the selfish idiots of America have relegated him to a simple/temporary bandaid. Just who do you expect to stop the U.S. from imploding when he (and his cause) are gone? McCain? Rupert Murdoch? Donald Trump? Mitt "outsourcing pioneer" Romney? The Party of No? The Fleabaggers? Wallstreet? Arnold Schwarzenegger? Rush Limbaugh? Sara Palin? Maybe George W. Bush?

When corporate policy dictates the actions of civil services.... you know that your nation is becoming worthless.

Unbelievable. Rules are rules, don't you know? (sarc.) A life is not allowed to be saved if out of bounds. (more sarc.) Jeeeze... The executive who decided to fire this hero should lose his job, immediately and the company's license should be revoked. This is why some services should NEVER be contracted out and should remain pure public service. Corporate policy overriding government for We the People. Not a good sign of things to come.

RE: #2.4: "People in his 'zone' were put in danger because he was off rescuing someone in "the forbidden zone" and, if someone needed him, he would not have been available. Is that what they are trying to sell? And what if he were rescuing someone in his 'zone' and someone else got in trouble? Oh, but I guess that doesn't count. How completely and utterly stupid. Lopez deserves better.

Florida! Making strides every day to wrest the title "America's Most Foolish State" from Arizona!

How about this for a scenario. A person has a heart attack on the street/ People yell and scream for a doctor. A doctor walks up but advises everyone he is a pediotrist so he is not medically or morally obligated to assist because he only works on feet! Hmmmm!

I'm dazed and confused...I thought lifeguards were there to save lives when needed? If I were drowning, I'd love him to be the one that saves me or someone who thinks like he does.

@Peter Jacobs

Unbelievable. Rules are rules, don't you know? (sarc.) A life is not allowed to be saved if out of bounds. (more sarc.) Jeeeze... The executive who decided to fire this hero should lose his job, immediately and the company's license should be revoked. This is why some services should NEVER be contracted out and should remain pure public service. Corporate policy overriding government for We the People. Not a good sign of things to come.

Wrong, wrong, WRONG!!!!!! You people are missing the lesson here and it is a BIG ONE. What this company was doing was protecting itself from frivolously ligation! We have a system in this country where anyone is allowed to sue anybody for any reason with zero consequence. This example is a minor one. Products and drugs are never brought to market because the cost of defending frivolous lawsuits could destroy a company. In many cases it is simply cheaper to settle out of court than it is to fight even if you did nothing wrong. Every time we shop at a major retailer we pay just a little bit more because someone somewhere brought a BS lawsuit that a company just paid to go away and passed on the cost to us.

Without tort reform we will always see things like what happened with this lifeguard. It's passe right now to rail against companies and corporations but this time the real blame lies ENTIRELY with the lawyers. It's easy for us to say "do the right thing" when we don't have to worry about being ruined because you did. Boycott any law firm that donates money to defeat any politician pushing for tort reform. Without the same loser pay system that the rest of the world has there will always be a sub-culture of lawyers who specialize in getting money for people who don't deserve it. Surely you've seen their commercials on late night TV promising to make you rich, rich, RICH!!!

So, if I was drowning inside the zone and the current carried me outside the zone before help could reach me, would they be expected to stop? Conversely, if I was drowing outside the zone but the current was carrying me toward the zone, should they wait until my body arrived to recover it? Yeah, sounds ridiculous doesn't it? However, given this situation perhaps this P&P should be included in the employee handbook.

Which is the reason that public services should remain public and not private BC. Which is also the reason I am for taking back representative government so that our laws and taxes do not become highjacked by lawyers, corporations and elite. We need direct vote on line item legislation in this Internet age of enlightenment.

Ok lets all play this out in our minds: SIR! SIR! there is a man drowning down the beach please HELP! Oh i'm sorry maam, I would but that is out of my zone...Then go back to rubbing sun tan lotion on. Give me a break. No one in their right mind would just sit there and let someone drown. Sometimes rules need to be broken.

I'm not bashing any of the posts but I feel like you've all restated the original thoughts on this situation and missed what's really great about this article. The Company/Jeff Ellis have responded to your outcry! Voices were heard, an apology extended and the brave young man was offered his job back...best part...he said "no thank you anyway!" He's got media climbing all over themselves to get to him and at such a young age, not only did he make the right call and decision to go help the person drowning in the first place but then seems to be handling the media scrutiny with maturity and humility so my post is...Well done Tomas!! So proud of you and really impressed by you and I hope whatever is next on your journey is successful and satisfying for you and thank you for doing the right thing.

To JS and those jumping on his post, he didn't say anything that was untrue. He didn't say he agreed with the Management company, he simply pointed out another point of view and played Devil's Advocate, something that stimulates mature discussion in most cases vs. the ridiculous name calling and character attacks that followed the scenario he pointed out. I forget sometimes that mature discussion is rendered almost impossible on these message boards but I am so glad that those people who protested this action made a difference in this young man's life. Again...well done to those who spoke up in protest and well done Tomas and hey...well done Jeff Ellis for trying to make it right.

The management company does not want "LIFE guards" they want "ZONE Guards" !

Jeff and Susan Ellis and Co along with Hallandale for contracting these gaggles of idiots are so full of Shiite that their eyes are like the color of green cesspools. Good job Tomas Lopez and your coworker lifeguard bros who also resigned and quit in protest and thank you all for having passion and common sense to due diligence of true duty done when it calls

Don't tell me this lifeguard didn't know the company policies and is just an innocent employee trying to do the right thing. I do agree that firing him was not the correct reprimand in this situation but I also understand the company's panic when they learned what happened. There isn't a company in this country who handles human life on a daily basis that doesn't have "boundaries" of some kind. Do you think the Coast Guard has never had to abort a rescue due to danger to themselves or other human life. This lifeguard didn't save that swimmer as he was on shore because he had already been rescued by other individuals. What this lifeguard did do was leave his area of responsibility which meant all those people who did followed the rules and swam in the designated area were without a lifeguard. And he is why they were swimming in the designated area in the first place.

You can take your life and risk it, but, you can't risk mine in the process. And that is exactly what this lifeguard did and why his company fired him so quickly. Should this senario been addressed by the company by providing more than one lifeguard at each station. Of course, they certainly are guilty of that, but, this young man also shares in the blame of his termination. Don't make this young man a hero for doing nothing but leaving his post. I'm glad he refused to take his job back. He does not have the maturity to understand the ramifications of his actions and the ability to handle an emergency situation like this one.

Barlow-1919963 “People like JS are comfortable sitting back
and letting someone drown who could be saved, that is until they are the person
in the water who is in trouble, what an a$$hole!!”

No Barlow, you are the a$$hole and an ignorant one at that, read the whole post moron, JS said he would probably do the same thing...

All the people are bashing JR including you Barlow are Idiots

JS and Backcountry - You are preaching to the wrong crowd. They don't care about anything, but the little guy getting crapped on. Zero big picture outlook. I agree that the guy should have helped, and I know I would have. The problem is that this has been created in this country by sue happy freeloaders. This would be an entirely different bit of outrage if someone drowned while this guy wasn't at his station. Can you people imagine a story "life guard leaves stand and person drowns". The lawsuit would be for millions. What if it was your kid who drowned because a life guard was doing something he wasn't supposed to be doing? Nobody here would be posting the way they are. It didn't happen this time, but the chances are it will. People take a simple situation for face value, and care little of the implications.

@Peter Jacobs

Which is the reason that public services should remain public and not private BC

What is the reason? Because you don't think a municipality would be sued in the same manner? In all liklihood without the private company there simply would be no lifeguards at the beaches. Public serivices are given to private contractors because 99% of the time the private comapny will do a better job cheaper.

We need direct vote on line item legislation in this Internet age of enlightenment.

Internet age of enlightenment??? You spend enough time here on NewsVine to know better than that. I'd love to be able to do what you're suggesting but I come on-line and I see a bunch of yahoos being led around by the nose hairs believing any sort of BS that gets dumped in their troughs. 4 out of 10 people couldn't even name the VP and you think we can trust these people to make an informed choice? If you want to jack the voting age up to 28 instead of 18 or force people to answer basic questions on the ballot confirming they have some clue, direct vote on legislation might work.

The more simple solution is to massively limit the Federal government. The state and local level is where people have real power to enact change. If your state or city pass a law that the people don't want it is relatively easy to get that on the ballot. We'll never see that on the Federal level and it would never work anyway. Our country is too big and too diverse for the one-size-fits-all philosophy of the Federal government. People in populated areas would simply dictate what happens in the rest of the country. There is a reason each state has two Senators regardless of its size or population.

JD: In emergency services, we have two conflicting standards: Duty to Act: once you commit to a course of action, you must follow through to the best of your training and abilities(and yes, even private contractors are held to this level for work performed on behalf of a municipality). Guard Lopez's conduct meets this standard, and brings both credit and honor to his former profession.

Abandonment: this is the grey area where leagl types have a field day. Responsiblity to duty requires that you must hand over care/control to competent replacements before assuming any further duties. This, sadly, is a policy concern that is properly addressed only after this type of event has occured (advanced protocols could never cover every possibility). Calling 911 first was correct: lets get the EMS ball rolling, for their services will be required. Next, scene safety: if you leave your area, first confirm that your area is secure, and backup is enroute before you advance. We'd love to be able to be in two places at once, but the laws of physics say we can't, while the law's of our professions say we shouldn't. This step raises the question: was adequate resources/staffing in place prior to the emergency? Manpower shortages could make a bad situation tragic in 0 seconds flat, when you have no reserves to fall back on. This is a responsbility of supervision: to properly manage the finite resources that are available to your service.

This is pure speculation on my part, but it gives cause for great concern: when communities nationwide attempt to do more with less, they end up doing less with less. Who pays? And how?

Just trying to expand on your post. I hope that I've been of service.

Kat: This was more than just a near drowning. Lifeguard Lopez was responding to a clear medical emergency: if the patient/victim aspirated ocean water (which is far more saline than blood plasma), then he will suffer pulmonary: edema (as a result of hypertonicity), likely infection, and possible embolism (from alveolar collapse and capillary ruptures).

What happens in the first minute(s) greatly determines patients' long term outcomes.

25+ year swift/littoral water rescue specialist.

I have to wonder - why was there only one lifeguard for that particular spot? Was the company trying to save money? One poster indicated that he could see the comapny's point - if he goes off and leaves his area unprotected while making a rescue then they are liable should someone else drown. Well, the same argument could be applied if he was attempting a rescue in his area. He should have been able to warn other nearby lifeguards that a rescue is in progress and he should have been able to get assistance.

At least that's the way it was many years ago when I was a lifeguard. Nowadays, companies are trying to do more with fewer people...

I think the big picture here is saving a tiny little life no matter what the consequences. If it were any of your family members, or yourself, you would want it so. Peter is right. Our laws have been highjacked. Still, due process is a basis of our country, our laws, and society and if it needs to be set straight in court then so let it be. I see two moments in time, one save the life first and then see what sh!t hits the fan later. This lifeguard deserves a medal for doing what is right. I would hire him for any executive position in my company because of his serving nature.

todays society rules suck.company rules are more important than human life. we have been brainwashed into comforming to a companys rules and never having a conscience about doing the right thing. just do what you are told to do. and do not commit any good samaritan acts your company wants you to be a levite. you are not to leave your post. just pass by on the other side.

Take a long vacation Ellis because your going to be hearing about this one for a Long While! HaHahaHah!!!! What a TOOL!!!!!

Agreed Frank. I am glad common sense rules in cases like this.

I feel for the kid 4 months into it and wham, he's out for using his brain. I agree. The city should recognize him somehow. Then Tomas should go where he's appreciated and where the weather is nicer! Hey Tomas, try San Diego! You'll never sweat and always have a tan while being the super hero you are! God bless son!

Roeboecop: LuckySue:

Sadly, any business that doesn't keep one eye on business, and the other on the bottom line, will do both or neither, eventually. Neither right/wrong, just a fact. According to WPTV, Ellis Associates' municipal contract expires this year. IMO, barring a miracle, it probably will not be renewed. Maybe Tomas Lopez should apply with Hallendale parks-rec department: they'll need help reconstituting their lifeguard program. If not, consider the USCG: you could make a great rescue swimmer!

I can only say too little too late. There should have been contingencies in the contract that the city signed for these lifeguards that if an emergency situation required their attention outside the bounds of their location they should be allowed to assist in every way possible...period!

AJC: in the spirit of St. Christopher, maybe he is already blessed.

JM: contracts that violate existing law generally are unenforceable. Performance clauses that result in criminal acts can subject the party(s) to charges as accessory before the fact.

Tex: this event is an abject reminder of swimming safety: respect your swimming abilities (or lack thereof), never swim alone (2's good, 3's better, etc); swim in a properly supervized area. We're not talking about tightropes strung across the Grand Canyon (or Niagra Falls for that matter). To compare what happened in Hallandale to a publicity stunt misses the point. A stunt is just that: a stunt. Was there disregard for personal safety, yes. But, was it to the point of recklessness? Doubtful. Most who call 911 didn't dig the hole that they find themselves in, but, find that they can't climb out without assistance.

Seriously? Even though yesterday when the story broke the CEO had already gone on record saying he was going to review it but at first glance he thought that the lifeguard shouldn't have been fired? But you think he took the time to read all the posts on newsvine before offering the lifeguard his job back? Wow. Way to exaggerate your own importance in the scheme of things.

Another example of corporate america not using their brains and having no soul. No wonder people are so cynical these days. At least the lifeguard had brains and a conscience.

Yeah and I bet you that if one of the management or employees of Jeff Ellis Management were drowning "out of the lifeguards assigned zone" that they would not make the same decision.

Sounds like they have more rules than brains. Is following the rule book more important than a person's life? Apparently Jeff Ellis Management think so.

Navy E8 Ret. More proof that S/NCOs are issued brains, O's aren't. E.g. in this case the XO of the company, Ellis.

Unto any officer who shall not take good consul in their senior noncomms, for the fate that befalls him is the destruction of his command. And sadly, the most egregious shall bear witness to this fate with their own eyes alone.

Quote from my old USAF DI, paraphrasing SunTzu. Thank you Msgt. Warrior. Philosopher.

USN E8: Brian: we don't have to be USMC to understand "Keep the Faith". And thank you for your service.

I understand that someone was swimming outside the zone (like a knucklehead) but I can't imagine just calling someone else (911) and hoping they get there in time when you are fully trained to do the job and already there. How about the times when "off-duty" firemen or policemen come across an emergency and get involved without their gear. Think of ALL of the times that people rescue people when it isn't their job or responsibility. It's HUMAN NATURE of decent people to not stand by while another suffers. Of course yes, in America, every which way is wrong. Help them, get fired. Help them, something goes wrong, get sued. Don't help them, public scorn.

Tkevan, Tomas had radioed that he was going out of the area to save someone. One of his co-workers that quit over his firing stated that. That can be considered notice to the other guards in his area to cover his area too, while he went to save someone. The person could have drowned by the time 911 responded. Then the question would be "why didn't one of the guards go to save him?"

@mojojo-3716873

How about the times when "off-duty" firemen or policemen come across an emergency and get involved without their gear

Off duty firemen are off duty. How about if your house burns down because the ON duty firemen were doing something else?

Tkevan: Murphy's 4th Law: no good deed goes unpunished.

Mojojo: off duty personnel MAY respond to an emergency, but many are auxilliary/reserve officers or volunteer firefighters/medics who may be paged, responding directly to the scene. Even if they are off, the standards are the same, regardless of duty status.

Tex: the fire that you refer to involved a private fire company in NW Tennessee. The homeowner had refused to pay his annual fee for fire service. Habitually. Many rural communities do not levy taxes on property owners, but charge an advanced fee for fire/ems, which are operated as NGOs. I've even jumped (ride along) with medevac crews that work on subscription basis. Fire companies originated as contract providers for insurance companies (ever heard of Firemans Fund?). The homeowner in question earned a reputation for freeloading by his neighbors. Wether we're talking tax valuation or fee for service basis, is it fair and equitable to ask your neighbors to foot the bill, while you shirk your responsibilities, and then ask some of those same neighbors to step up and protect your family, home and property? And at no small risk to those responders? Chuzpauht! I apologize if I appear to sound cold hearted, but isn't this reckless behavior: asking another to not only step up, but to foot the bill too? And then complain to whomever will listen: poor me, will no one will help? The overwhelming majority (>65%) of all firefighter/medics in this country serve on volunteer/private companies: shoestring budgets, used equipment that continues to serve well past its recommended lifespan, rolling stock that starts service used; all manned by brothers and sisters who do not/are not/never have been in it for the money. I've had the good fortune to step into gear and step up with people who do this not out of any sense of compensation, but duty and espirit d'corps.

Backcountry: forgive me my hubris. Some of my best saves have been "off duty". Not to pay back those who supported/trained me, but to pay it forward to those who have yet considered putting on jumpsuit/bunker gear.

Tkevan: if I may expand on Murphy's 4th: this time 12 years ago, I returned to Philly to attend an ems symposium (and visit extended family that I hadn't seen in as many years). The lead story on the local newscast was an ongoing report of a jumper (attempted suicide) rescue on the Schuylkill River between City Ave and Roosevelt Blvd. The individual had been in the water for 2+ hours, clinging to the caisons below the bridge he jumped from, while fire/rescue tried to cobble together a plan to safely rescue him. It appears that county authorities had disbanded PFDs river rescue unit years before (budget cuts), and would not allow mutual aid to respond to the scene. Just as a boat was finally about to enter the water, the victim began to lose his grip due hpothermia/exhaustion. Out of nowhere, a swimmer enters the river from the north shore, moving upstream no less, and rescue carries the fortunate man back to the caison, where reponders hoist both to the bridge above. The hero: a young man (20's), an Atlantic City lifeguard, back home for a rare day off. His reward for his quick thinking and timely actions: arrest and high misdemeanor charges for interference in offical business. Yes, he put himself in danger, but according to reports from Philly Inquirer, he was the only qualified responder on scene who could swim. Eventually, common sense would prevail after many offers of bail/legal representation came forward on his behalf. The last I heard on this subject: the holders willingly forfeit his bond, but only if the charges where dismissed (with predjudice: never to be refiled).

in texas firefighters pass a boot around in the public sector ever so often in order to help cover the cost of firefighting. maybe other places could take note these guys had a great idea and no person was singled out because they may have been to poor to pay.

The $75 fee thing is analogous to what Romney advocates for health care. If you don't have insurance and get sick then Romney says you have no guarantee you'll get health care insurance. That's why we need some sort of mandatory system just as we usually have with fire and police.

@Mho1112

This story disgusts me as much as the firefighters watching a house burn down because the owner didn't pay the $75 fee

Yeah there is nothing more disgusting than personal responsibility. Why the hell should a guy who willingly goes swimming where there is no protection and is clearly mark "AT YOUR OWN RISK" expect that he actually be held accountable for the decision he freely made?

I hope he sues the city and this loser Jeff Ellis and they have to pay so much that they have to borrow money from China to pay him.

Yeah because every resident of this city deserves to suffer. Sure the city would no longer be able to pay any lifeguards to watch the beaches anymore so the next drowning guy will be @!$%# out of luck but that is the price he'll have to pay for the cities mistake the first time around

btw- do you ever use your head for thinking or is it all emotion all the time for you?

they need a nationwide 1 penny healthcare tax added to our sales taxes. this would cover alot of territory towards brining medical care costs down.if you dont have big money or insurance because you dont make enough money to pay for health insurance(like for instance minimum wage workers)or day laborers no hospital take you in, they dont care whether you live or die .we live in a money grabbing dont care world these days.there is no longer any regard for human life.

Or...it's like...watching a man and woman getting killed and you have a cell phone but company policy says you can't use the company telephone except for company business...then you get fired for calling. What ever happened to doing the right thing?. I would hire this guy back, give him a raise and let him be a supervisor.

Evidently you have never worked in any kind of EMS. If you have to leave your post, you radio that you are leaving and why and the others nearby COVER your area, just like the story said happened. Learn how to read before commenting.