WRONGFUL FIRING?

How can somebody be fired for doing their job? That's what happened to Tomas Lopez, a Florida lifeguard who left his post to save a drowning man in unprotected waters. Instead of getting a pat on the back for saving someone's life, Lopez's boss gave him the boot! The decision led to some of Lopez's colleagues to quit in protest.

According to Lopez, he just ran out to do the job he was trained to do without thinking about it. To make matters even worse, Jeff Ellis Management, the company that supplies lifeguards to those Florida Beaches, also fired six of Lopez's fellow lifeguards who supported Lopez's actions. The management company stated, "There are liability issues and lifeguards can't go out of the protected area." So, they're supposed to let drowning people die? Isn't the duty of a lifeguard to guard a life? This management company should be shut down for even thinking that way! 

Lopez said that he was at his stand on Monday afternoon when someone alerted him to a man flailing in the water about 1500 feet away, a zone where people must swim at their own risk. He said that it was a long run, but someone needed his help and he wasn't going to say no. By the time, another lifeguard arrived to the scene; the 21-year-old victim had already been pulled to the shore. Lopez and an off-duty nurse helped care for the semi-conscious man until first responders arrived. After the rescue, Lopez filled out an incident report, and then was fired after he admitted to abandoning his territory. 

I think this is a crock! If anyone, especially Mr. Ellis, was in Lopez's position, they would've done the same thing and saved the person's life, unless, of course, they couldn't swim. Lopez should be honored and not unemployed. This is ridiculous and it's ridiculous that it's taking a bunch of lifeguards to have to prove a point that this kid was only doing his job, whether he was in the wrong zone or not! His job is to save lives and that's what he did!    

According to Jeff Ellis, if they find that their actions were inappropriate, they will rectify it based upon the information that comes forward. Um, I think this should be rectified now! You need good lifeguards like Lopez manning those beaches in the summer! This is just another example of idiots running big companies!