Should there be lifeguards on cruise ships ?

There was a very nice ending to what could have been the most tragic of accidents on board the Royal Caribbean ship Independence of the Seas.

Hero police office PC James Bremner saved the life of a 6 year old boy who was found unconscious at the bottom of a swimming pool while on his own family holiday on the luxury family liner.

He noticed a staff member pull the child from the pool but nobody began CPR so he rushed to the scene to see if he could help. The boy had no pulse, he had blue feet and lips and his pupils were dilated. He immediately started CPR until medical staff arrived. The boy was air lifted to intensive care and eventually made a full recovery.

Without the life saving skills of PC Bremner the boy would not have survived.

At receiving his award he was very modest and said he didn’t very special to have done what he did but I am sure the boy concerned and all of his family would not agree.

It has long been debated as to whether there should be lifeguards on cruise ships and I am sure the debate will continue until it becomes mandatory for cruise lines to provide them.

Personally I think they should be provided for not only children but also any adults who may become unwell or get into difficulty in the water.

I know it is the parent’s responsibility to watch their children and I am sure most do but it only takes a split second if you happen to look away for an accident to happen.

I have 2 children who are both excellent swimmers but I would not leave them unsupervised around water but it is not always possible to watch them for every single second especially if they are not together in the same section of the pool.

Unfortunately there have been other incidents that have not had the same happy ending.

What are your thoughts ?