My grip was the absurd $1,907 ambulance charge that the lifeguard was going to be charged and then the kid getting charged the same thing for a total of $3,814 for only a 15 mile ride. That would be robbery w/o a gun. 2 yrs ago, my father took a 150 mile ambulance ride from our local hospital to Baptist in OKC [code 1].. and it didn't cost any where near $1,900.
Actually, the average wages for full time lifeguards are in the neighborhood of $20,000/yr.
From your link:
So it looks like who you quoted as "lifeguards" are managers. What do the seasonal and part-time guards make?
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The seasonal life guards make on average $20/hour. Not rich by any stretch but many that are hired are still teenagers and in high school or just out of HS. Many of them being young do it darning the day and are waiters, bartenders, etc in the evening. Typical beach guys and gals that are enjoying the beach lifestyle. They make a lot more money than I did when I was at the same age. My point was that in my neck of the woods the LG make decent money for what they do and the environment they work in and around.
That being said, there was a huge uproar about a year ago when the general public found out about then salary and benefits.
I was born and raised in Newport. Then spent 3 years in Stillwater. Met the wife there and brought her back. Being just married 13 years ago we couldn't afford Newport so we bought our home in Costa Mesa which is next door to Newport. Same schools, sports teams, etc.
I remember gallos but haven't eaten there. Although I live about a mile and a half from the beach, most of my time spent down there is at night at the bars or mornings surfing.
Here in Tulsa, EMSA charges $1100 plus drugs for a ride. Don't matter how far the ride is.
Btw oxygen is considered a drug. Why do you think you always get it when you go for a ride...
I'm sure the busboys at buckingham palace get paid a lot, but that doesn't mean it's a decent wage for the other 5 nines worth of busboys.
It is a little muddled, but clear enough that the kid was not on duty as a lifeguard at the beach. But say that wasn't the case and he was a lifeguard on duty there, I have to totally disagree, he does deserve a full ride. Yes he's doing his job, and yes there are risks but to say he's responsible for his being checked out is kind of ridiculous. That's the same thing as saying that if an officer gets shot on duty, that he's on his own to pay for his surgery, rehab and the like. Fireman gets burned up and he's gotta take pay the bills while he's off for months if not longer to recoup? Any job like that has to have workers comp of some sort, and most riskier jobs like these will have extra benefits where they take care of their own to an even further extent. Otherwise we would have even more problems getting people to take these types of jobs. Just as you say you are in the military, you would expect to be taken care of if you were injured in an IED or maybe a freak dishwasher accident while you were serving your country...a lifeguard trying to save a life deserves just as much.
Closer to home is the the case of OCPD Officer Chad Peery.
Does he deserve people to help him? Yes. That's why I went looking for ways to donate to his cause in the first place. Does the medical facility deserve to get screwed out of payment for services rendered? No they don't. IF he had been doing his job and wasn't covered then I'd say he knew the risks (or at least should have) when he signed on. Would you take a lifeguard job if there was no way for you to get health insurance in the event of an accident on duty? If the military didn't offer outstanding benefits (or pay a hell of a lot more so people could afford outstanding benefits), far fewer people would join. This kid, hero though he may be, is no different. Luckily, his bill has been paid in full and the point is moot.
Well, now. We are not talking busboys are we? There is a big difference in bussing tables and being a waiter.
