I'd read the posts, but I can't really contribute anything other than anecdotal prose
Regular lifeguards aren't nearly as equipped physically or mentally to do surf lifesaving.
I used to be a lifeguard but only at indoor and outdoor pools. That's so lame. All we had to do was write a test (which was easy), swim a mile in under 25 minutes, swim with a 180 pound dummy for 2 lengths and then pull it out of the water, and tread water for 10 minutes. Oh yeah, and go into the deep end to retrieve a 10 pound brick. Woo-hoo. Believe it or not, it's WAY easier to become a lifeguard nowadays.
I know nothing about the surf. I'm useless in it. I can swim in a pool, but put me in the ocean, and I freak. I don't handle waves well. I actually have a fear of the water. That's why I became a lifeguard. I thought I'd conquered it, but then I tried surfing in the ocean in Australia and ended up getting pulled out by the lifeguards. I do remember puking up a lot of water, and then when I looked up, I saw three of the most gorgeous men on the planet. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven
I did get a date out of my failed drowning attempt and some free surfing lessons, though
EDIT: That was so completely off topic I think I need to be shot in the head for posting this.