CORPORATE POLICY MANUAL

TITLE: THE BEACH LIFEGUARD DIVISION: Rooms-Health Club

No: 7 – Communication with Guests CROSS REF. (Policy #):
PREPARED BY: Joseph Patrick Utanes – Health No. of Pages: 2
Club Manager
APPROVED BY: General Manager Desmond Hatton
DISTRIBUTED TO: General Manager, Resident Manager, EAM-Rooms, and all
Health Club Staff

It is a policy of Shangri-la’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa Beach Lifeguards to

comply with the following procedure.

Beach Lifeguards must communicate successfully with guests to stop dangerous activities
and to warn and educate them about potential hazards.
During emergencies, Beach Lifeguards must maintain communication with guests to
both direct and reassure them.
Communication signals and techniques must be adapted to suit the specific
characteristics of each beach and its users.
Factors such as acoustics, noise levels, distances, the type of guests and the desire for
positive public relations determine the most appropriate communication.
Communication is a two-way process:
As a Beach Lifeguard it is important to convey information calmly, clearly and
accurately.
Practice effective listening skills to ensure that you accurately receive information related
to a rescue.

Whistle signals
A whistle is a useful tool outdoor where background noise is minimal; however, constant
whistle signals can annoy guests. Also, as swimmers become accustomed to frequent
whistle blasts, they may ultimately ignore the emergency signals. Use whistles only
when it is essential. Some examples of whistle signals are:

• 1 short blast means “attention” (followed by instructions)

• 3 long blasts means “emergency: leave the water”

Voice communication
The most effective means of preventing accidents or of correcting inappropriate behavior
is direct communication between the beach lifeguard and guests. Move as close to the
guests as possible. Put yourself on the guest’s physical level (e.g. if the guest is in the
sea, squat down at the water’s edge) and use polite language and firm tones.
Ensure that your zone is supervised while you are communicating with guests. Try to keep

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 The Lifeguard - Communication with Guests

conversations brief and keep your eyes on the area. If you must communicate for
longer than a few moments, then signal another lifeguard to cover your area.
Where close communication is not possible, use a device such as a megaphone to
project your voice. In areas with an ethnic mix, beach lifeguards may have to deal with a
variety of languages spoken by guests. Knowledge of ethnic cultures within the area may
lead to more effective communication between the beach lifeguard and the guests.

Public address systems (E.g. Evacuation)

Once an emergency response has been initiated, a public address system may aid in
crowd control.

• Announcements must be brief. The announcer must speak slowly,

enunciating each word clearly and pausing between sentences. Panic or
annoyance in the voice must be avoided. Repeat announcements can be
useful, but avoid overusing the PA system.
• PA systems are also used for important announcements during public swims,
but announcements must not be so frequent that they annoy guests or that
they are eventually ignored. The authorized use of the PA system must be
limited to a small number of people.

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