Lifeguard Fired for Saving Life
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(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
(Newser) Florida lifeguard Tomas Lopez got fired this week for helping save a man whose life he wasn’t being paid to guard. After being alerted to a man struggling in the water, the 21-year-old lifeguard ran out of his patrol zone to help the man.
He helped other beachgoers pull the man out of the water, assisted him until paramedics arrived—and was promptly fired for leaving the section of beach his company is paid to patrol. His employer says his actions endangered beachgoers in his section and could have exposed the company to lawsuits, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.
“What he did was his own decision,” his supervisor says. “He knew the company rules and did what he thought he needed to do.” Six of Lopez’s fellow lifeguards have now been fired for saying they would also rescue somebody drowning outside their patrol zone, ABC reports. “What we’re basically supposed to do is watch them die,” one of them says. Lopez, who had been on the job for four months, says he would do the same thing again. “It was the moral thing to do,” he says. “I would never pick a job over my morals.”
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Interestingly enough the company was hired by the city. I think they and the private company will re-think their strict policy.
Would really love to know the name of security company that would have such horrible business ethics and the name of property owner that would hire such a horrible security company with such bad business ethics. Neither deserves to be in business.
Sorry for the life guard(s) but he is probably better off not working for a company with so little respect for life. Glad to know some people value human life over the all might dollar bill.
Ello, The company is Jeff Ellis Management. Tomas Lopez was offered his job back but he declined in favor of pursuing further college. Perhaps a boycott of locations managed by this company is in order?
Well, that’s the new Florida for you. Someone needs to put up a new billboard “Welcome to Florida – If You Are Drowning Do It In The Right Place Or Drown.”
Ahhh, the many splendored joys of privatization. The fire department that won’t respond to your house fire, because you haven’t paid the vig. The cop that won’t stop your mugging because you didn’t contribute to the Policeman’s Ball. Etc., etc.
I’ve never heard of cops not doing their duty then again, after almost 40 years in the business, I never once heard of a Policeman’s Ball….
There’s a ball? I dated a deputy for over a year, and never got to go to a ball!
I’ve needed police on a few occasions, and each time, no one ever told me “we won’t help you because you didn’t pay.” And the lifeguard who helped me when I was stung by a jellyfish didn’t care where on the beach I collapsed, he just helped me. Three boos for Florida.
Well, that’s the libertarian way, right? Let ’em die? Maybe Voldemort isn’t as Tea Party as we think…
Not visiting Florida beaches anytime soon.
Exactly why I am against libertarianism.