Florida Lifeguard Fired for Saving Swimmer [VIDEO]

You read that right, Thomas Lopez, a paid Florida lifeguard was fired from his job for saving a drowning man.

The company in which Lopez works has strict zones in which they pay their lifeguards to patrol the beaches. The drowning man was about 1500 feet outside that zone.

Lopez, of course, did the right thing, and knew he would probably be fired for it. God bless him for that. If he hadn't come to the rescue that man would probably be dead now.

Several of his fellow lifeguards have quit the company in solidarity with Lopez and I think the company could not be more wrong in this situation. Blanket company policies don't always fit every situation. Real companies with real leaders can see through the garbage and make judgement calls on a case by case basis.

Lopez said, “It is a ridiculous rule, really. What was I supposed to do? Just let the guy drown?”

Jeff Ellis and Associates is the name of the company that Lopez was employed by as a lifeguard, my guess is that company will be inundated with angry emails, phone calls and the like. The company will probably end up offering this young man his job back to try and turn the heat down. Don't take it Lopez!

There are a lot of employers worth working for in this country that are more interested in you doing the "right" thing, instead of worrying about what might happen IF you do the "right" thing.

America needs more youth like Thomas Lopez.