KEVD18:
When I provide services to public beaches we use VHF radios (sometimes only one radio in order to call outside agencies -LE, EMS, fire, CG -really bad budgets in Argentina).
When I provide services privately I use GMRS radios (which are part of my own equipment). I would love to have VHF ones but I'm saving to buy an AED soon so... 6 GMRS radios cost almost the same as 1 VHF radio. Amazingly they have great range (up to 25 miles in non-urban areas) plus 22 channels each with 121 privacy codes. -More than what I often need here in Patagonia. (I'm planning to start providing my services no longer as "freelance" but as a private company hopefuly next Southern summer, and then I'll buy more advanced communications equipment).
Two phones... Yeah, sometimes I leave one at my POV if I can park it near my tower/stand/chair. One is a personal one, the second one is for work. Also, in some places in Patagonia not all cell phone companies have service. Meaning, it's not uncommon here to have at least two cell phones (each with a different service) -just in case. Oil companies workers usually carry a minimum of 3. A satelite phone would be nice, but way too expensive for me.
PR 24 "tonfa". Always at my POV. Here in Argentina protests, demonstrations and disturbs are routine. Many end up in road blocks. Diplomacy is always my chosen method to get through on my way to work but... Also, though as a professional lifeguard I carry my 28" rescue buoy (which is great for self defense and restriction) all the time while on the job, if I am called to an incident away from the beach / waterfront and/or there is a fight I carry the PR 24. (It is made in Argentina, not like the one from Monadnock but happily since I don't use it too often no need to spend $60+ on a tonfa baton, right?). I also carry it in those few occasions I have to do some long distance foot-patrol or bike patrol and sometimes when I get called from unguarded areas.
Thanks for your concern about the weight of the belt, but most of my time while on duty I wear red shorts, a whistle, pocket mask, Nitrile gloves and carry my patrol rescue can. However, I do often work in partially isolated and isolated areas (sometimes by myself) with no inmediate (over an hour or two) backup from any agency (LE, EMS, fire, CG) and if I have to respond to an incident that implies more than just a towing rescue out of a rip current or out of a twister at the river, then I carry more advanced stuff which is always at my tower/stand/chair (trauma jump bag, duty belt, etc.).
What always stay in my POV is my SCUBA diving gear (no point in loading/unloading that every day). Plus I use a different type of fins for rescue.
Obviously it would be different at a major public lifeguard service in CA, FL or HI but that's not my case. When in the US, my visa only allows me to work for private employers and I work at a summer camp as a river lifeguard (and last year) at a surf camp as an ocean lifeguard.
Argentina and USA have two extremely opposite EMS situations. Though it would be great to count on the resources standards of the US, the experience here helped me to get experience with a different perspective. Leading with Argentina's reality is a pain in the a$$ most of the time, but at the same time I consider myself lucky to get the best out of two worlds.
I haven't been back to Israel since I left at age 10 (so I can't say "...the best of three worlds" but for what I've seen and been told by friends EMS there is a mix of American and European standards with a bit of Israeli components).
OK, I better admit it, there's no excuse, I could qualify as a whacker but only because Batman is never around. LOL
Saludos,
Guri