Teen lifeguard gets $2,600 bill for saving drowning boy's life

Where were the drowning 12-year old's parents or supervisors ?
Allowing a 12 yo to swim at a surf beach alone is madness , if that was here in New Zealand the parents would be facing criminal charges .

reply to post by defcon5


defcon, with all due respect, I think the poster was thinking that Obamacare would cover this young man's bill. There is nothing in Obamacare that I can see that would have the govt paying the bill, unless perhaps the family was able to be covered under a govt program for low income, which could have been the case now, but not from what I read in the article.

wow that is insane.

I was a life guard in HS. My mom worked crazy hours and pulled every bit of overtime she could as a nurse. Bills were rough and after my parents divorce I had to pull my weight. Both my sisters went to ivy league colleges and my parents were taxed...literally, IRS took my dad for a ride, and my mom was whacked out of her mind trying to keep up with her obligations....both of them were...

Anyways, If I had to pay that for each save I had, I would have starved.....now a days people work for food, not for an Xbox....or new jeans

this is just wrong....Life guards make good money but damn, not that much. If I were his fellow life guards I would quit and force them to hire scabs at double pay....or just pay this kids bill....one is cheaper then the other.

I have to say though, he got over zealous. I knew the type. They would sit waiting for something bad to happen. They usually made good guards but were anal and were constantly calling thunder and other dumb mandatory safety drills and yelling at kids for horsing around..

He did his job and should have sat back.....it was probably his first save and he was nervous...I remember my first was a very fat Arab guy..... he nearly killed me trying to get him out because well, he was drowning and going insane....I punched him to get him to relax....lol....

I couldn't understand him but he was happy....bloody nose and all...I don't know if he realized that I punched him....he was alive though....in retrospect I could have been sued until I was dead poor at age 17...lol

You cant risk anything now a days it seems. His fellow life guards should do something about it, we usually have a great sense of team work and comradery. In my day we would not let a fellow guard go that alone....if anything pay it between them all....

sucks either way.....I hope he doesn't have to pay for being young and helpful...he could be out there selling pot and robbing people. He chose to work. That should not be punished.

Originally posted by Juggernog

Originally posted by antonia

Originally posted by Juggernog

Originally posted by antonia
reply to post by Juggernog

 

If you hit your head and you get a headache you better go to the doc. Certain brain injuries present themselves first as a headache.

So, the pounding waves gave him a concussion?

Yea, the ocean has enough force to do that.

um, i dont think so. maybe if you dive in from say 15 feet or so but not swimming in the surf.
Ive swam in the surf many times and in many sea conditions and not once have I gotten a concussion from the swells.

Oh well, forget it.
He still wasnt a hired lifeguard, so at this point hes just a citizen that did a good deed, maybe someone will step up and pay his bill but he shouldnt expect it just because.

edit on 4-8-2012 by Juggernog because: (no reason given)

Juggernog I think you are forgetting the fact that there are plenty of retards who try to go swimming in the surf when they are not experienced enough (or at all), and that's when situations like this occur. You sound like you have plenty of experience and common sense to not go in when you know it's dangerous, but some people are just clueless, you have to make allowance for this.

reply to post by knightwhosaysnih


Yea, I know... I sometimes forget how many "Homer Simpsons" are out there

Originally posted by Juggernog

Originally posted by antonia

Originally posted by Juggernog

Originally posted by antonia
reply to post by Juggernog

 

If you hit your head and you get a headache you better go to the doc. Certain brain injuries present themselves first as a headache.

So, the pounding waves gave him a concussion?

Yea, the ocean has enough force to do that.

um, i dont think so. maybe if you dive in from say 15 feet or so but not swimming in the surf.
Ive swam in the surf many times and in many sea conditions and not once have I gotten a concussion from the swells.

Oh well, forget it.
He still wasnt a hired lifeguard, so at this point hes just a citizen that did a good deed, maybe someone will step up and pay his bill but he shouldnt expect it just because.

edit on 4-8-2012 by Juggernog because: (no reason given)

Excuse me, but you sir are an idiot. I'm assuming by that ridiculous comment you made you have never swam in the surf. I'd be surprised if you'd actually seen the ocean before from what you've been saying.
Do you really believe that someone couldn't get concussion from being thrown about in the surf and hitting their head on the bottom, even if it's just a sandy beach it's going to leave you with a hell of a headache if not worse!

reply to post by cahlmac

Excuse me, but you sir are an idiot. I'm assuming by that ridiculous comment you made you have never swam in the surf. I'd be surprised if you'd actually seen the ocean before from what you've been saying.

Well, since you are wondering.. I have lived within 5 miles of the Gulf since 1992 or so and have spent many, many hours swimming/surfing in the Ocean, prior to that, I was in the Coast Guard for a few years.. I am very familiar with the sea.
Idiot

Originally posted by MDDoxs
No good deed goes unpunished.

I could see the total bill being deferred to another party...but who knows, i still have difficulty understanding US medical policy as i am sure a lot of people do. It always seems to change and be relatively fluid to make exceptions or in-turn make no exceptions.

With public attention, the hospital may "Good will" these charges to resolve the issue.

I highly doubt it. These are institutions about making money. Most have board of directors and external investors. Unfortunately, more people will die as others cross thier arms and watch them (swimmers and such) go under.

It just disgusts me what this country is turning in to via the progressives.

We don't need ObamaCare; we need serious tort reform, and allowing insurance to be sold across state lines. Unfortunately, it would seem, the government (and I use that term loosely) could care less how many people die.

It's just disgusting as this case points out.

reply to post by Juggernog


Different coasts have different conditions. Hawaii coast, california coast, there are waves you can surf on. Can't do that at the beach here in the maritimes. Waves are totally mellow up here. Except for crazy storms.

Originally posted by Yosemite Sam

Originally posted by MDDoxs
No good deed goes unpunished.

I could see the total bill being deferred to another party...but who knows, i still have difficulty understanding US medical policy as i am sure a lot of people do. It always seems to change and be relatively fluid to make exceptions or in-turn make no exceptions.

With public attention, the hospital may "Good will" these charges to resolve the issue.

I highly doubt it. These are institutions about making money. Most have board of directors and external investors. Unfortunately, more people will die as others cross thier arms and watch them (swimmers and such) go under.

It just disgusts me what this country is turning in to via the progressives.

We don't need ObamaCare; we need serious tort reform, and allowing insurance to be sold across state lines. Unfortunately, it would seem, the government (and I use that term loosely) could care less how many people die.

It's just disgusting as this case points out.

And the great news is (because of the liberal progressives), I will never stop again at another car accident; pull another child out of a burning building; dive in to save someone drowning; or render assistance in any way, for fear of being sued for every thing I own.

Thanks neurotic Pelosi; thanks backbone-less Reid.

And 50% of you idiots are still going to vote for Obama. He has not done a damn thing for us in 4 years, except lie, obsfucate, and spend trillions of dollars on worthless crap. He said, "Oh yeah, there were no shovel ready jobs....hahaha....my bad").

Worst of all, (because he has no new ideas, and no plan), HE PLANS TO DO THE EXACT SAME THING AGAIN!!!!! 16 trillion in debt is apparently not enough.

He IS dismantling this great country from the inside out.

Not sure why the 17-yr old hero should be maligned for complaining about a headache in this thread, after swimming out into some rough surf to rescue a drowning child -- give him the benefit of the doubt, okay? I imagine it was the EMT's who checked him over after the rescue when it was determined he had a headache and should go along in the ambulance to the hospital. Hardly his fault.

Since he was riding along in the ambulance with the drowning victim, did they split the cost of the ride? Would it normally be $3,800? Or did the hospital just charge both the standard fare and double it's profit?

Then there's the fact he was an off-duty lifeguard. Does the city/state not have an obligation to cover his medical insurance in the event he is injured in a rescue, even if he is off-duty? If an off-duty police officer pulls a victim out of a burning car and sustains an injury, the city or state will pay for it. Because the instant he came across the scene of an accident and he was in a position to do something to help, he became 'on-duty'. The city this lifeguard worked for trained him to be a lifeguard. They instilled in him a sense of duty to respond to drowning victims. On-duty or off-duty, the city or state he worked for should be obligated to cover his medical bills anytime he is involved in a rescue and get's injured. Even if it's a neighboring city, they can work out some cross-coverage.

Originally posted by Blackmarketeer
Not sure why the 17-yr old hero should be maligned for complaining about a headache in this thread, after swimming out into some rough surf to rescue a drowning child -- give him the benefit of the doubt, okay? I imagine it was the EMT's who checked him over after the rescue when it was determined he had a headache and should go along in the ambulance to the hospital. Hardly his fault.

Since he was riding along in the ambulance with the drowning victim, did they split the cost of the ride? Would it normally be $3,800? Or did the hospital just charge both the standard fare and double it's profit?

Then there's the fact he was an off-duty lifeguard. Does the city/state not have an obligation to cover his medical insurance in the event he is injured in a rescue, even if he is off-duty? If an off-duty police officer pulls a victim out of a burning car and sustains an injury, the city or state will pay for it. Because the instant he came across the scene of an accident and he was in a position to do something to help, he became 'on-duty'. The city this lifeguard worked for trained him to be a lifeguard. They instilled in him a sense of duty to respond to drowning victims. On-duty or off-duty, the city or state he worked for should be obligated to cover his medical bills anytime he is involved in a rescue and get's injured. Even if it's a neighboring city, they can work out some cross-coverage.

After 10 years of litigation and how much of his life savings?

reply to post by Juggernog

Originally posted by Juggernog
reply to post by Blackmarketeer

 

link

John Clark is a lifeguard at the Firstenburg Community Center pool and the Marshall Community Center in Vancouver. He's the youngest of nine kids; his family is trying to make arrangements to get the bill paid.

He wasnt a hired lifeguard at that beach, he is a lifeguard at the city pool. He jumped in on his own accord, yes it was a brave thing to do but it wasnt his job.
It says that he had a "headache", who takes an ambulance to the hospital for a headache?

This type of Bureaucratic nonsense is one of many reasons why western civilization is failing. I mean, seriously, 50+ year ago this young adult would have been applauded for his efforts and the medical personnel in all areas would have been kissing his ass, so to speak.

I cannot wrap my head around this mentality of yours.

"He wasnt a hired lifeguard at that beach, he is a lifeguard at the city pool"

In days gone by, far more reasonable days I might add, this fact would have been a non-issue. Now trivial details such as this will have a very serious effect on one's life. "Hey reporter......this young guy that saved another ones life is irrelevant because he didn't have a license to do so." This type of mentality was reserved for idiots in the past. Now it seems to be the norm.

And......what the Hell? Almost Two-Thousand Dollars for a fifteen mile ride in an ambulance? Taxes are paid out by Citizens to provide these services. The only portion of that bill I would pay would be for the gasoline expended. Furthermore....he has no obligation whatsoever to pay this extortion. Neither party negotiated prices before the transport and any price imposed on him could be disputed since this young man was not fully made aware of the obligations required by him to secure Medical Transport and Housing.

The only type of people that support this insane extortionist point of view are the leeches that make heaps of profit from it. I cannot truly see a reasonable person with no profit incentive in this area, or any area for that matter, supporting this absurdity.

reply to post by Yosemite Sam


I would still save another if I could. # the consequences. Just how I was raised. I have saved a few people, not from drowning, but from jumpings. I cannot watch another suffer or get hurt idly, damn the consequences.

reply to post by My_Reality


It would have been a non-issue in times past my ass. In saner times he would have been awarded a medal of some sort. Been labeled a hero, and probably been humble enough to deny it. We are not living in sane times these days. "How dare you do anything good without being paid for it!"

Originally posted by TKDRL
reply to post by Yosemite Sam

 

I would still save another if I could. # the consequences. Just how I was raised. I have saved a few people, not from drowning, but from jumpings. I cannot watch another suffer or get hurt idly, damn the consequences.

That's your opinion and I respect that. Just realize you are putting your entire's family future on the line when you do it. I've see it happen over and over again.

Your good will, will not keep you out of jail or prevent you from losing your life savings.

I don't like it either, but it is what it is, unfortunately.

reply to post by Yosemite Sam


As it stands now, my family was taken from me. I have no life savings. Even if that wasn't the case, I am not sure I could live with myself if I saw someone in trouble, and just stood there and watched. It's all messed up.

Pretty great news! It would be an incentive or award for them.

Originally posted by TKDRL
reply to post by Yosemite Sam

 

As it stands now, my family was taken from me. I have no life savings. Even if that wasn't the case, I am not sure I could live with myself if I saw someone in trouble, and just stood there and watched. It's all messed up.

Sorry about that; and that. Everybody should do what they need to do. The one thing you don't need to do is vote for the worst president since Woodrow Wilson.

Originally posted by remieB
Pretty great news! It would be an incentive or award for them.

???