More respect for lifesavers needed

Lifesavers do a great job all around the Coast. We need to support them and sometimes just do as we are told, Craig Warhurst writes.

Four men at the north end of Mooloolaba swim in a dangerous situation and then abuse lifegueards when asked to leave the water. Picture: John McCutcheon

OPINION:

WHEN it comes to respecting authority, I was probably a bit of a loose cannon in my younger days.

When I didn't like a decision I was known to have a go at sporting referees and I really didn't like people telling me what I should do.

As I grew older and "supposedly wiser" I started to understand how life worked and why rules were put in place.

The incident on Saturday when four swimmers, risking their lives jumping off the rocks into the waves off Mooloolaba, were told to get out of the water by a lifesaver had me thinking.

How would I have reacted at that age?

The four males told the lifesaver he had no authority to tell them what to do.

They were right. Legally the lifesaver doesn't have the right but does that matter?

What he was trying to do was look after the well-being of the four men and stop the need for any of his crew to risk their lives saving them.

It was a dumb response, especially on a day when the beaches were closed due to treacherous conditions.

As a former clubby I know how hard it is to tell someone to swim between the flags or get out of the water. To be challenged for just doing a job is not cool.

Lifesavers do a great job all around the Coast. We need to support them and sometimes just do as we are told.