Florida lifeguard fired for saving life, coworkers fired for defending him

When I was much younger, I was a lifeguard at a YMCA and taught swimming. I can tell you that the first thing on Lopez's mind was someone needed his help. This is all wrong beyond belief! He got fired and his friends got fired for defending him. What kind of a message does this send? What's next? Will Florida cops get fired if they save a life because the person is an inch outside of their area?

Fired Florida Lifeguard's Coworkers Out After Admitting They'd Save Man Outside Zone
By ALEXIS SHAW, MATT GUTMAN CANDACE SMITH and KATIE MOISSE
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla.
ABC News
July 4, 2012

Six Florida lifeguards have lost their jobs for backing a coworker's decision to save a man struggling in the surf but outside their jurisdiction.

Tomas Lopez , 21, was fired Monday for vacating his lifeguarding zone to save a man drowning in unprotected waters 1,500 feet south of his post on Hallandale Beach, Fla.

"I knew I broke the rules," said Lopez, who ran past the buoy marking the boundary of his patrol zone to help the man. "I told the manager, I'm fired aren't I?"

Lopez said he jumped into the water and "I double underhooked him…I was worried about the guy and his health. He was blue."

Six of Lopez's coworkers said they would have done the same thing. And now, they've been fired too.
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