I get no great pleasure from seeing my old beach patrol on LBI make national news – at least not for the reasons now.

I have been a lifeguard for 35 years, and have made a career as a full-time year-round aquatic safety, rescue and training professional. For much of it, I have advocated that lifeguards are good at their jobs not in spite of their youth, energy, gregarious nature and feelings of immortality, but because of them.