By Donald Wittkowski
Deputy Fire Chief Charles Bowman asked a roomful of second graders at the Ocean City Primary School whether any of them would like to become lifeguards when they grow up.
His question was greeted with an almost unanimous show of hands.
Bowman then asked them why they would want to be on the Ocean City Beach Patrol.
"To eat lunch," came a loud reply from one student.
Bowman couldn't help but chuckle. Then, he assured the students that being a lifeguard is far more challenging than enjoying leisurely lunches on the beach.
Ocean City Deputy Fire Chief Charles Bowman stressed the importance of swimming near a lifeguard while addressing the children.
With the arrival of the summer beach season, Bowman was at the primary school Tuesday to warn second and third graders about the dangers of the ocean and to remind them to always swim near a lifeguard.
Bowman has been holding similar safety sessions at the school since 2005. This year, he was joined by training officer Paul Boardman and lifeguard John Simonson.
Bowman explained that he does it at the second and third grade level because children at this age "listen intently."
"It's to save lives. But the main idea is for them to be aware of their surroundings and to know that a lifeguard stand is a safe haven," he said.
Although Ocean City is a seashore town, Bowman emphasized that "you would be surprised how many kids don't know anything about the beach."
Bowman, Boardman and Simonson began the morning by giving second graders some classroom instruction, including showing them a five-minute video on the dangers of rip currents.
The students were told never to try to swim against a rip current if they're caught in one. Instead, they should ride it out until it dissipates or swim parallel to shore to escape it.
"Don't try to resist it, because you'll get tired and go down. We don't want you to go down," Bowman said of the possibility of drowning.
Training Officer Paul Boardman, left, and Lifeguard John Simonson showed off a beach patrol boat to the children.
To hold the students' attention, Boardman and Simonson showed off their lifesaving equipment, while Bowman sketched some safety tips on the classroom blackboard.
They told the students they should always swim in areas protected by lifeguards and should never venture outside the safety zones marked with green flags. Red flags indicate no-swimming areas.
"Green means go. Red means no," Bowman said.
Boardman also told the children that they should always listen to the lifeguard's whistle for instructions.
"If we blow the whistle, what do we want you to do?" Boardman asked the class.
"Look," the students replied.
"Right," Boardman responded, approvingly.
The children seemed to understand the importance of safety.
Asked what she had learned, second grader Maeve Geary, 8, said, "Never swim without a lifeguard."
A packed classroom of second graders listened to safety tips for the summer beach season.
Michael Keuperstein, 8, another second grader, also picked up some valuable safety tips.
"I learned never to swim against the current," he said.
After the classroom instruction, the students were allowed to pile in a lifeguard stand and a beach patrol boat that were set up in front of the school.
Ocean City's beaches are protected by lifeguards from Memorial Day weekend to the second or third week in September, Bowman said.
Lifeguards are on duty between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekends.
On Monday, the primary school students will be able to practice what they learned in the classroom when they have their annual beach outing.
"It's our tradition," said Megan Riordan, a second grade teacher. "The kids can make sand castles and swim up to their knees."
