SOC 33-9092

Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Recreational Protective Service Workers AI displacement risk

Drowning-detection cameras now watch pools alongside lifeguards — an augmentation that addresses real vigilance limits. Rescue itself — entering water, extracting a person, delivering CPR — is physical response that happens in seconds and stays human.

Exposure20

Share and intensity of work current AI systems can materially affect.

Automation8%

Likely potential for exposed tasks to move to software after workflow integration.

Risk bandLow

Detection AI helps scanners catch what tired eyes miss, which facilities deploy to support thin staffing, not replace it. The physical rescue, first aid, and authority to clear a pool remain the job.

Distribution

Where Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Recreational Protective Service Workers sits across 620 tracked roles

Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Recreational Protective Service Workers · 12050100

Displacement pressure 12 — higher than 2% of the 620 occupations tracked on displacement.ai.

Score version

This page uses Seed model v0.4 (seed-v0.4-2026-05), last reviewed 2026-08-08. Directional occupation-level planning model using hand-reviewed public research, task exposure estimates, wage context, and transition-pathway assumptions.

15 O*NET task statements matched to SOC 33-9092. The displayed task profile combines these official task statements with the current public score model.

Median wage context: $33,580 (May 2025, US national). The latest BLS row matched SOC 33-9092.

Scores are planning signals, not forecasts. Local hiring demand, employer-specific workflows, licensing, and credentials must be validated before making career decisions.

2030 economic stress test

How Anthropic's scenarios classify Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Recreational Protective Service Workers

SOC 33-9092 places this role in the paper's all-other occupation group. These group-level outcomes do not change the 12/100 role score and are not an occupation forecast.

Modest change

+1.1% group wage

Employment rises and unemployment falls for the all-other group, but the paper does not publish a separate group rate.

Economy-wide: +1.6% GDP and 3.9% unemployment.

Substantial change

+5.9% group wage

Employment rises and unemployment falls for the all-other group, but the paper does not publish a separate group rate.

Economy-wide: +8.3% GDP and 4.6% unemployment.

Extreme change

+33.6% group wage

Employment rises and unemployment falls for the all-other group, but the paper does not publish a separate group rate.

Economy-wide: +32.4% GDP and 11.9% unemployment.

Compare the assumptions and limitations across all three scenarios. Source: The Anthropic Institute Working Paper No. 2026-02.

Official task evidence

O*NET task matches for Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Recreational Protective Service Workers

The current evidence import matched 15 task statements from Task Statements 31.0 (August 2026). These rows are used as a grounding layer for judging which parts of the occupation are repeatable, language-heavy, analytical, social, physical, or compliance-sensitive.

Dataset31.0 (August 2026)
Matched tasks15
SOC33-9092
  • Core task / ID 5041

    Patrol or monitor recreational areas, such as trails, slopes, or swimming areas, on foot, in vehicles, or from towers.

  • Core task / ID 5039

    Rescue distressed persons, using rescue techniques and equipment.

  • Core task / ID 5040

    Contact emergency medical personnel in case of serious injury.

  • Core task / ID 5042

    Examine injured persons and administer first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if necessary, using training and medical supplies and equipment.

  • Core task / ID 5044

    Warn recreational participants of inclement weather, unsafe areas, or illegal conduct.

  • Core task / ID 20129

    Maintain quality of pool water by testing chemical levels.

Source: O*NET Resource Center, Task Statements. Raw import target: data/raw/onet/task-statements-31-0.txt.

Task profile

Where AI changes the work

compliance

Monitor swimming areas for distress

Exposure 28, automation 14%, augmentation 40%.

O*NET evidence: Patrol or monitor recreational areas, such as trails, slopes, or swimming areas, on foo... (ID 5041)

physical

Rescue distressed persons

Exposure 8, automation 1%, augmentation 14%.

O*NET evidence: Rescue distressed persons, using rescue techniques and equipment. (ID 5039)

physical

Administer first aid and CPR

Exposure 10, automation 2%, augmentation 20%.

O*NET evidence: Examine injured persons and administer first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if n... (ID 5042)

information

Maintain records and water quality checks

Exposure 40, automation 20%, augmentation 50%.

O*NET evidence: Maintain quality of pool water by testing chemical levels. (ID 20129)

TaskExposureAutomationAugmentation
Monitor swimming areas for distress2814%40%
Rescue distressed persons81%14%
Administer first aid and CPR102%20%
Maintain records and water quality checks4020%50%

Transition pathways

Adjacent moves that preserve existing skills

role redesign

Aquatics Director

Training horizon: 2-5 months. Skill overlap 66. Wage preservation signal 158.

  • Manage facility safety programs
  • Train and schedule guards
  • Own incident documentation
Low
credentialed transition

Emergency Medical Technician

Training horizon: 3-9 months. Skill overlap 48. Wage preservation signal 140.

  • Complete EMT certification
  • Build medical response skills
  • Apply rescue experience to EMS
Low

Comparison guides

Compare the next move before you commit

What the AI risk score means for Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Recreational Protective Service Workers

The displacement pressure score for Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Recreational Protective Service Workers is 12. That score blends task exposure, automation pressure, augmentation potential, wage vulnerability, transition feasibility, and source confidence. It is designed to help workers and workforce teams decide where to act first, not to claim a specific date when a job will disappear.

For this role, the clearest risk pattern is visible at the task level. Maintain records and water quality checks carries 20% automation pressure, while Maintain records and water quality checks carries 50% augmentation potential. That means the best response is usually a targeted redesign of work: move away from repeatable production tasks and toward judgment, exception handling, coordination, stakeholder context, and accountable use of AI tools.

Labor-market context and wage risk

Median wage: $33,580 (May 2025, US national). Employment context: Seasonal protective role with persistent staffing shortages. Typical education: Certification required; no degree needed.

Wage vulnerability is 76, while transition feasibility is 58. A high wage-vulnerability score means workers should pay close attention to salary preservation before making a move. A high transition-feasibility score means there are adjacent paths that can reuse existing skills without requiring a complete career reset.

  • Very low displacement pressure
  • Detection cameras augment vigilance
  • Staffing shortages persist

Upskilling priorities

Skills that make this role more resilient

The safest upskilling plan starts with skills already close to the work. For Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Recreational Protective Service Workers, the strongest near-term skill priorities are listed below. These are useful whether the goal is to stay in the role, move to a redesigned version of the role, or transition into an adjacent occupation.

Priority 1

Rescue technique

Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.

Priority 2

Emergency response

Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.

Priority 3

Vigilance

Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.

Priority 4

Physical fitness

Build proof of this skill through a work sample, checklist, dashboard, case note, workflow map, or portfolio artifact tied to the transition paths on this page.

90-day transition plan

The most practical next step is not to wait for a layoff or a full role redesign. Use the next 90 days to create evidence that you can operate in a safer, more AI-augmented version of the work.

  1. In the first 30 days, document the repetitive tasks in your current work and identify where AI can reduce drafting, lookup, classification, or reporting time.
  2. By 60 days, complete one small project connected to Aquatics Director, such as manage facility safety programs.
  3. By 90 days, compare internal openings and external postings for Aquatics Director or Emergency Medical Technician and update your resume around measurable workflow outcomes.

FAQ

Questions about AI and Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Recreational Protective Service Workers

Will AI replace Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Recreational Protective Service Workers?

Drowning-detection cameras now watch pools alongside lifeguards — an augmentation that addresses real vigilance limits. Rescue itself — entering water, extracting a person, delivering CPR — is physical response that happens in seconds and stays human. The better planning signal is not full replacement, but which tasks become automated, which tasks become AI-assisted, and which responsibilities still need human judgment.

Which parts of Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Recreational Protective Service Workers work are most exposed to AI?

Maintain records and water quality checks and Monitor swimming areas for distress show the strongest automation pressure in this model. Maintain records and water quality checks and Monitor swimming areas for distress are better treated as AI-augmented work.

What should Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Recreational Protective Service Workers learn next?

Start with Rescue technique, Emergency response, Vigilance. The most practical adjacent paths in this model are Aquatics Director and Emergency Medical Technician.

How should this score be used?

Use it as a planning signal, not a prediction. Confirm local hiring demand, wages, licensing, credentials, and employer adoption before making a career move.

Sources

Evidence trail