Angela Wilson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 19/02) - Patricia MacVicar loves the water. And, consequently, loves her job just as much.

MacVicar works as a lifeguard at both Long Lake Beach and the Ruth Inch Memorial Pool. She has been working as a lifeguard since the summer of 1998.

MacVicar said there were many reasons she wanted to become a lifeguard.

"I was a competitive swimmer for eight years so I was always around the pool. My older brother was a lifeguard. So it was always something that interested me."

Before becoming a lifeguard, she needed to take the appropriate courses, says MacVicar.

"I had to take Bronze Medallion, Bronze Cross, and the NSL (a national lifesaving course)," she said.

MacVicar says her primary duties on the beach, besides watching for people in distress, is enforcing safety in and around the water and ensuring the beach is clean.

The biggest emergency she's ever had to deal with on the beach was an evacuation due to a bear lurking nearby. That was last summer.

MacVicar said it's difficult to pinpoint any one thing she loves about her job.

"I enjoy lots of things," she said. "Making sure people are safe in and around the water. Just the whole water-lifeguard aspect of it. I enjoy working at the beach and I enjoy accident prevention and assisting people when needed."

MacVicar said staying alert is one character trait a lifeguard has to have.

"You have to pay attention to small details and be aware of different signs of distress. Look for expressions on people's faces, like the signs of a heart attack. Watch people on cold days for signs of hypothermia."

She said most people don't realize they're in trouble until it's too late.

"I guess their body can go into a state of shock and they don't really realize what's going on."

People skills is another important trait.

"Public relations," she said. "Being able to communicate with people and have them realize we're looking out for their safety and not trying to ruin their fun.

"I guess you have to have a passion for it as well. You can really tell if someone has a passion for it."

MacVicar said she recommends people wearing sunscreen at the beach, drinking lots of water, and parents keeping an eye on their children around the water.

Before living in Yellowknife, MacVicar lived in Regina. She was only 10 when she moved and said she wasn't sure what she thought of the move.

"I wasn't quite sure what to expect," she said. "I knew it would be cold."

MacVicar studied organizational behavioural management through the Athabasca University. The program is run through Lethbridge Community College. This year, MacVicar plans to take a year off from her studies.