Common Sense Versus Bureaucracy
Tomas Lopez, a Florida lifeguard, saved a drowning man earlier this week and was fired for doing so. His crime? Leaving his designated area to perform the rescue. The Sun-Sentinel reports:
Company officials on Tuesday said Lopez broke a rule that could've put beachgoers in his designated area in jeopardy. The firm could ultimately have been sued, officials said.
"We have liability issues and can't go out of the protected area," said supervisor Susan Ellis. "What he did was his own decision. He knew the company rules and did what he thought he needed to do."
Lopez said he was sitting at his post at about 1:45 p.m. Monday when someone rushed to his stand asking for help. Lopez said he noticed a man struggling in the water south of his post. The man was previously swimming in an "unprotected" stretch of the beach, city officials confirmed Tuesday.
"It was a long run, but someone needed my help. I wasn't going to say no," he said.
But there is a silver lining. As ABC News reporter Matt Gutman notes in the nearby video clip, "In this collision beetween common sense and bureacracy, common sense is winning out." You see, after Lopez was fired his fellow lifeguards quit in protest, so the company is now reconsidering its decision.
Tuesday, Lopez acknowledged breaking a rule, but said he would do it again if the situation called for it.
"It was the moral thing to do," Lopez said. "I would never pick a job over my morals."
And with that comment, my friends, Tomas Lopez sums up the America that I know and love.
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Comments:
Apr '12
Re: Common Sense Versus Bureaucracy
America vs. the trial lawyers.
Jan '11
Re: Common Sense Versus Bureaucracy
These company pinheads and the HR 'Nurse Ratchets' deserve everything they have coming to them if they are unable to make a judgement based upon the circumstances.
I wonder if there have been any accidents at any other of their facilities that a creative litigator could blame upon just these type of restrictive rules.
Way to go Mr. Lopez.
Oct '11
Re: Common Sense Versus Bureaucracy
An honorable man. Tough to find these days.
Oct '10
Re: Common Sense Versus Bureaucracy
From what I read, by the time he reached the struggling swimmer (who was 5 football fields away) other people had already pulled him to safety. So, the lifeguard didn't actually save anyone from drowning. Furthermore, the struggling swimmer was swimming in an area marked "Not Protected." From what I've previously read.
However, had someone actually been in need of saving in HIS protected area, THAT person would have drowned, because Lopez was busy trying to save someone who shouldn't have been swimming there in the first place.
There's a reason there are Protected and Not Protected beaches. It's because the number of lifeguards is finite, and so the onus is on swimmers to choose their swim areas accordingly. Everyone in Lopez' area likely chose it because it was Protected...until, contrary to their expectations, it wasn't. Because of Lopez.
Sorry, but unless the facts I read earlier are in error, Lopez was wrong.
Feb '11
Re: Common Sense Versus Bureaucracy
The idea that he should have just sat there and watched the guy drown is, of course, obscene. And very similar to the school policies under which students having serious asthma attacks have been prevented from getting help.
I think a lot of people/organizations are so terrified of the danger of litigation that they actually open themselves up to litigation.
Feb '11
Re: Common Sense Versus Bureaucracy
Dittohead...when Lopez started out to save the drowning person, he probably could not know that other people were going to do so.
What was the probability that someone in the "protected" area would need saving during the 15 minutes or so that he would be away? Surely not more than 1% or so, unless the swimmers there are especially incompetent.
Aug '10
Re: Common Sense Versus Bureaucracy
This guy needs to move to Newport Beach, Calif. Get himself a rustproof union medallion and keep working.
Oct '10
Re: Common Sense Versus Bureaucracy
He couldn't have "sat there and watched." The guy was FIVE football fields away. The only way he knew was because someone else told him.
Now, how long does it take - on sand - to run 500 yards? Maybe 2-3 minutes (30 seconds per hundred)? How long to run back (after having been tuckered out by that first run)? Maybe 5 minutes? Plus the time spent making sure the swimmer was cared for?
So, HIS area was UNprotected for 8 minutes or so. And we want to lionize him? The fact is, the struggling swimmer wasn't "just across the line" in an unprotected area. He was wayyyyyyy down the beach, and Lopez' actions put EVERY swimmer in HIS area in peril - an area that people were at because it was supposed to be protected, unlike the struggling swimmer who chose to put himself at risk in an unprotected area...five football fields away.
Oct '10
Re: Common Sense Versus Bureaucracy
Who's to know? Look at the screenshot of the video - looks like a LOT of people in the water. I don't know the rates of swimmers needing help on that beach. That would be a helpful fact.
But it seems especially negligent for him to leave his post for a potential save so far away without at the same time radioing to another guard to watch his area. I love the instinct, as far as it goes, but there are mitigating factors that seem to be ignored by those who laud him uncritically.
Re: Common Sense Versus Bureaucracy
Dittoheadadt, I must disagree. This physician would have behaved just as Mr. Lopez did -- though I am reasonably certain that the young lifeguard reached the near-drowning victim considerably quicker than I could have managed.
If presented with a drowning man 1/4 mile away common sense, morality and proper triage all dictate that I move to his aid. A sign posted midway marking the limit of my jurisdiction means nothing to God and therefore would not slow me down for a second.
The interview I saw has Mr. Lopez stating that the patient was blue in color and had water in his lungs when he arrived on the scene and began rendering aid. This indicates to me that his intervention was timely and perhaps essential in saving a life.
Incidentally, follow-up reports indicate that Lopez's patient just moved out of the ICU to a regular hospital bed and is now in stable condition.
Lopez shows the kind of solid judgment and good character that I expect will soon have him earning far more than the $8.25 per hour he was being paid to guard his section of Hallandale Beach.
Feb '11
Re: Common Sense Versus Bureaucracy
George, you are a pilot, IIRC, so I'm sure you're familiar with Federal Aviation Regulation 91.3, which says in its entirety:
(a) The pilot in command of an aircraft is directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to, the operation of that aircraft.
(b) In an in-flight emergency requiring immediate action, the pilot in command may deviate from any rule of this part to the extent required to meet that emergency.
(c) Each pilot in command who deviates from a rule under paragraph (b) of this section shall, upon the request of the Administrator, send a written report of that deviation to the Administrator.
I think the spirit of this regulation, specifically parts (b) and (c), is applicable to a whole lot of organizations in fields far removed from aviation.
Mar '11
Re: Common Sense Versus Bureaucracy
This is one of those times when making judgment without being there and knowing the situation is pointless.
Certainly there are situations in life where a watch-stander must not leave his post under any circumstances, even to save a life. There are also plenty more scenarios under which it would immoral not to act.
Without any further knowledge of the facts on the ground (how often did accidents occur on the assigned stretch of beach, what information did the lifeguard have), let's give Lopez the benefit of the doubt that his internal risk assessor (otherwise known as intuition) made some accurate calculations and came to the proper conclusion.
I would only point out that this situation is a near-perfect example of a moral hazard - not to criticize Lopez's decision, but just to observe, in the context of healthcare debate, that these things happen.
Edited on July 5, 2012 at 11:56pmRe: Common Sense Versus Bureaucracy
I agree. I have not ever declared an emergency in the air, but the active mindset encouraged by the FARs--the PIC is action-oriented, never passive--has led to several pointed inquiries with air traffic control when I was not feeling comfortable with the conduct of my flight (e.g., being given a radar vector toward higher terrain in IMC and then seemingly forgotten).
May '10
Re: Common Sense Versus Bureaucracy
No one else has drawn attention to this, so I will: the biggest heroes of all are the other lifeguards who threatened to quit to prevent their employer from doing something that offended their consciences.
Whatever your opinion of the lifeguard who left his post and who had to make a split-second decision, the action of the others is impressive because it was risky and deliberate.
If more people were willing to put their jobs at risk, big organizations would get away with much, much, much less stupid and evil behavior.
Re: Common Sense Versus Bureaucracy
Fredösphere: No one else has drawn attention to this, so I will: the biggest heroes of all are the other lifeguards who threatened to quit to prevent their employer from doing something that offended their consciences.
Whatever your opinion of the lifeguard who left his post and who had to make a split-second decision, the action of the others is impressive because it was risky and deliberate.
If more people were willing to put their jobs at risk, big organizations would get away with much, much, much less stupid and evil behavior. · 11 minutes ago
Fredo, you are absolutely right. The response of the other lifeguards was very impressive, all the more so in that it was directed at an issue of moral principle.