Volusia County lifeguard recruitment highlights training as 16-year-old trainee cites desire to save lives

Volusia County lifeguard recruiters emphasized training and a public-safety mission as trainee Irina Marks described why she joined the program and the challenges she faced.

Recruiter: "You like to train and you love the water? Come be a Volusia County Lifeguard," the recruitment message said in the recording.

Irina Marks, a 16-year-old AdventHealth medical assistant training to be a lifeguard, said she wanted to "help people and be outside as well." Marks said the most difficult part of the training has been the 500-meter swim, but added, "once you get past that hurdle, it's pretty easy from there." She said her favorite training moments are "going out on mock rescues. Definitely the best part."

Marks said she heard about the lifeguard recruiters from friends and by seeing them in person: "My friends, but also just seeing them. I looked it up and I filled out that application." She also said lifeguarding is her second job while she works in neurosurgery as a medical assistant for AdventHealth.

The recording presents recruiting as a mix of on-site outreach and word-of-mouth. Training elements referenced in the conversation include endurance swimming (a 500-meter swim) and mock rescue drills; speakers did not provide further details about certification requirements, schedules, pay or application links.

The conversation illustrates the program's pitch to prospective applicants: a regular training regimen, opportunities to practice rescues and a motivation framed around saving lives and community service.

Less-critical details from the exchange include Marks's description of the swim as the primary hurdle, her age (16) and that she balances lifeguard training with employment at AdventHealth.