Fired Florida lifeguards won't take jobs back

Tomas Lopez was fired from his job as a lifeguard at Hallandale Beach after he left his designated zone to aid a swimmer in unguarded waters / Tomas Lopez

(CBS News) The lifeguard who was fired for rescuing a drowning man outside his designated watch area will be offered his job back, but neither he, nor the other lifeguards who were fired or resigned in protest, intend to return.

Jeff Ellis, the head of the private contractor who hires lifeguards for Hallandale Beach in southern Florida, told the South Florida Sun Sentinel that Tomas Lopez was fired too quickly after he ran about 1,500 feet south of the firm's boundaries to an unguarded zone to run to a swimmer's aid on Monday.

"I am of the opinion that the supervisors acted hastily," Ellis said in a phone interview with the paper. He added that since the incident, he learned other lifeguards had manned Lopez's post when he ran off to save the swimmer. Given those circumstances, Ellis said, Lopez should not have been fired.

Fla. lifeguard aids drowning man, gets fired

Lopez doesn't intend to take Ellis up on the offer, according to a childhood friend.

"Him and all the other lifeguards - no one is going back," said Shane Wilcox, Lopez's childhood friend who has become an impromptu spokesperson for the lifeguard amid a barrage of media requests.

The other lifeguards are "going to stand with him," Wilcox added in a phone interview.

A supervisor for Jeff Ellis Management, which has had a contract with the city beach since 2003, originally said Lopez was fired because he broke company rules and could have put beach goers in his own section in jeopardy.

"We have liability issues and can't go out of the protected area," Susan Ellis told the Sun-Sentinel. "What he did was his own decision, he knew the company rules and did what he thought he needed to do."

A lifeguard walks on Hallandale Beach in Florida on a windy day.

/ AP Photo/Miami Herald, Emily Michot

Travis Madrid and Zoard Janko were also fired that day for siding with Lopez on the firm's policy. Madrid told CBS News he received a phone call recently from Ellis' human resources about having a meeting, but he hadn't had time to return the call.

Earlier this week Lopez told CBS Miami affiliate WFOR that it seemed like common sense to aid the swimmer when someone ran up to him for help. The drowning man was swimming in an area that has signs alerting beach goers to swim at their own risk.

"I think it's ridiculous, honestly, that a sign is what separates someone from being safe and not safe," Lopez told CBS4's Ted Scouten. "Honestly, a job is not as important as a person's life."

Madrid said he wouldn't take his job back, either, because he, "wouldn't want to work for a company [in which you would have to] turn your back on someone."

"If there's anything I can do to save somebody... I'm going to help them the best I can," Madrid said. "I don't know why Tommy had to be reprimanded for saving someone."

Three other lifeguards resigned in protest that day and a fourth quit later. Szilard Janko, who quit and protest and whose brother Zoard was the third lifeguard fired, said he expect others to quit soon.

While Janko said he and most of the other lifeguards plan on finding other jobs at pools or beaches, Lopez may be heading elsewhere. Wilcox, who was eating lunch with other Hallendale lifeguards when he picked up the phone, said Lopez is going to focus full time on going to school for business administration - something he always planned.

Janko said he and the other lifeguards heard rumors of being offered positions at other beaches, although no one's directly reached out to them yet. But the job search can't start in earnest until "everything settles down."

"I slept like, four hours last night," Janko said. "I didn't think this was going to be this big."

[thadston]

This act of heroism epitomizes the lifeguard profession.

Lifeguarding is a dynamic profession that isn't about simply meeting the bare requirements, it's about going beyond the call of duty in order to help one's fellow man.

Although Tomas Lopez was initially punished for his valiant rescue, Tomas' admirable character received his well deserved rewards. Not only did he save the life of a distressed swimmer, but he has earned the admiration and respect of the nation.

Tomas Lopez has demonstrated the <a href="http://lifeguardhq.net/lifeguard-job-description-and-4-important-skills/">true characteristics of a lifeguard</a>

This act demonstrates the importance of going beyond a designated job description in order to exceed the status quo.

[riptide213]

Acting in good faith and as a Good Samaritan is a notion cynically losing favor in America.

Laws need to be enacted to better protect those who help others.

Keep underlying fears of ambulance chasing lawyers out of Good Samaritan scenarios.

Glad to hear these "genuine" lifeguards can stand tall and preserve their obvious integrity to refuse any token rehire by a contract company just attempting to contain a straightforward PR disaster.

Public safety roles like lifeguards for public areas should not be contracted out to low bidders or crony friend companies with incompetent supervisors just to save a dubious buck.

America needs more workers to stand up and uphold good principles and decent values despite what their callous management demands or manipulates only for their business advantage.

[lesserof2evil]

The lesson here is if you gonna swim in Florida beaches, make sure Ellis Management isn't contracted to provide lifeguards or else don't expect any help if you get into trouble.

[gidlp]

Just thought of something. Back in the 60's a house just outside the city limits in California caught fire. The Local city fire department about 1 mile away, got there in about 5 minutes or so. Did they put out the fire? No way, it was outside the city limits, in county territory. All they did was connect the hoses just in case the fire spread to the home next to it inside the city limits. By the time the country fire department arrived the home was completely destroyed. That could no longer happen today, since there is the rules that allow any fire department to help in cases blazes occur outside their territory. Ring a bell here?

[gidlp]

Just thought of something. Back in the 60's a house just outside the city limits in California caught fire. The Local city fire department about 1 mile away, got there in about 5 minutes or so. Did they put out the fire? No way, it was outside the city limits, in county territory. All they did was connect the hoses just in case the fire spread to the home next to it inside the city limits. By the time the country fire department arrived the home was completely destroyed. That could no longer happen today, since there is the rules that allow any fire department to help in cases blazes occur outside their territory. Ring a bell here?

[Thinkerwiz]

Typical reaction from an untrained, petty supervisor... and apparently a family member of the business who staffs the life guards. If they had taken a moment to THINK before exercising the use of power, they could have rewarded the life guard for his action, ability and judgement, therefore gaining the support of the community by doing so. It is lame bureaucratic mentality the impedes the positive growth of humanity.

[Man_ofreason]

Corporations have no morals except the bottom line. They aren't supposed to and only a fool would expect them to. They only act in a moral way for public relations purposes which feeds their profits, but when they believe no one is watching, they act only in the best interest of the corporation without regard to "right" or "wrong". That's why Chevron ads claim it's the morale protector of our environment, yet they have destroyed much of the Amazon rain forest in Ecuador and refuse to clean it up since Americans don't see that mess.

In this case, Jim Ellis Management didn't expect the public to become aware of such barbaric firings and when the story hit the news, Ellis did an about face to repair public relations damage. Both decisions were made, not because they were morally anything, but to maximize the bottom line. Corporations are NOT people. Get used to it.

[roseyer]

To state the obvious, Ellis did not act to maximize profit, their actions were solely out of fear of what the government might do to them.

[bileven]

Man_ofreason... give it a rest. This is NOT a large Corporation. It's a small business, providing service to the Government..

90% of the "unfeeling" HR, that I have ever had dealings with, has been thanks to NON-Corporate connected jobs.

Sad part, No_man_ofreason... Corporations are the providers of 85% plus of the Not-for-profit charity giving in the USA. Cancer Research, United Way, MDA... you destroy the Corporations, you might as well kiss the charities good-bye.

And just so we are clear... no, they don't necessarily do it out the kindness, that is how they GET those tax breaks!! That and the Angel Giving to small business'.

But the true definition of "uncaring" is Government, but heck, they have successfully run so many ventures... right to the ground!

We need less failed government intervention and more citizen run government (like the Forefathers designed)

[gidlp]

Good for you Tomas. Go to college and get the degree. I am sure that you will, or should, be well rewarded for you actions, enough to pay for the education.

[ReckonedTruth]

Whoever heard of a lifeguard.. is not allowed TO SAVE a drowning victim..because the bureaucracy involved is more important than saving a life of a drowning victim? geesh--smh!!!


I'm in complete agreement with the lifeguard(s) and their choice to resign ..and especially the lifeguard named Madrid who was fired because of bureaucracy .. this same employer's bureaucracy NOW has offered Madrid his job back and Madrid REFUSED...

[bileven]

Government contracts... yeah, there is cause for concerned when ever you "color outside the lines" when dealing with the Government. Laws have no feelings, they lack a pulse and have no signs of humanity...

[askagain]

obicera1 - Wrong. The lifeguards could have made their point and kept their jobs. Instead, they are without jobs. Like it or not, this is an employer's market with so many unemployed people to choose from. Good swimmers can easily be taught the skills needed to be a lifeguard. The pool company that services my homeowner association pool holds classes evey year to train lifeguards.

[Bill_from_NH]

stay on the subject.

[bileven]

askagain.. The main individual was fired. The other 4 showed team support. Which says VOLUMES about the character of the individuals.

As for the training.. the total need of "qualified and certified, CPR certified" lifeguards in this paticular area is much higher than average. Most individuals go into the training after they are hired (kids, go figure)...

The problem is, once the season is in full swing, well.. not much available training. As a business, they would need warm bodies to cover the shifts, fully ready to go...

As for the ease of being taught. CPR training requires a certain level of maturity.

Training is one thing, passing the tests is another. They can teach a kid to drive a car, but MANY still fail daily.