I know someone who spent her twenties as an ocean lifeguard, including the real Baywatch, LA County Fire Department lifeguards. That's competitive to get in, and she's one of the few women to qualify. 6 feet tall, blonde, and muscular. Country girl who grew up on ten acres in Northern California. She spent years rescuing people who did stupid stuff. During the off-season for the beach she did off-road vehicle rescues. (Not the vehicle, just the driver.) She's surfed Fiji and New Zealand, and bicycled from Portugal to Italy alone. She's done endurance riding (horses) in Death Valley, and has ridden the Tevis 100 mile ride through the Sierras twice. Both she and the horses came back unharmed.

She's a cautious person. She prepares and trains hard for everything she does. She qualified as an emergency medical technician (that gets you a big pay boost with LA county lifeguards). She's totally anti-drug. She comes across as a laid-back surfer girl, very relaxed, and doesn't seem competitive or too serious. She is, but it doesn't show.

That's how you do it and not get yourself killed.