This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Swampscott Lifeguards Are Here

Ethan Forman is the last of the interviewees of the summer Swampscott lifeguard series.

This senior may not be old enough to vote or buy a lottery ticket, but he is experienced and old enough to save your life.

Ethan Forman was only 16-years-old when he became a lifeguard at the

“I became a lifeguard because I wanted a job where I could possibly help someone,” Forman said. “Also, I love being outside.”

Find out what's happening in Swampscottwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

When he’s not at the beach lifeguarding, this now 17-year-old SHS student likes to play football and lacrosse.

He is also interested in politics and international relations, just like his older brother , who is also a lifeguard for the town.

Find out what's happening in Swampscottwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

To an outsider, the job may look like a walk in the park but Forman knows from experience that this is definitely not the case.

“When boats come inside the buoys, it’s very hard to get their attention,” he said. “This is definitely the most difficult aspect of the job for me, aside from having to save someone of course.”

Although the job can be demanding at times, there are parts of it that Forman certainly enjoys.

“Lifeguarding is a great summer job but I would say my favorite aspects of the job are interacting with people and sitting in the sun,” he said.

Like anything else, Forman doesn’t love everything that his job entails.                 

“The worst part is being exposed to the sun all the time and sitting outside on really hot days,” he said.

According to Forman, there are certain personalities that would not be able to handle this type of job.

“Mental discipline is the most crucial characteristic for a lifeguard,” he said. “I find that at times it can be very hard to pay attention but of course I have to in order to keep people safe.”

Forman, along with some of his fellow guards, also has experience lifeguarding prior to working for town. Yet, he has found working for Swampscott beaches for the last two years more enjoyable.  

“I like working at the beach better than a pool because of the scenery and environment,” he said. “But it’s definitely a bigger responsibility.”

He said that another advantage of working for the town were the people he is able to work with.  

“All of the lifeguards I work with are a great group of guys,” Forman said. “They’re all fun and dedicated people.”

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?