‘Water Is My Element, So I Love This Job. So Far, So Great.’

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Yogyakarta native Buntas Setianto did everything from caddying for Malaysian golfers to helping guide airplanes during takeoff and landing before finally settling in at Waterbom Jakarta in Pantai Indah Kapuk.

The 32-year-old is one of 24 lifeguards at the water park helping visitors have a fun and safe experience as they rocket down the slides or float along the ‘wild river.’  He also helps tame the ‘naughty horses’ that vandalize the park’s property.

Thanks to his training, Buntas can explain how to perform CPR and why there will never be a water park with elevators in its slide towers.

How many lives have you saved?

Not many, thankfully. Not because I fail a lot [laughs], but because there haven’t been any serious cases. Mostly, I help calm down shocked visitors after they take our fastest slide, which reaches 70 kilometers per hour. Just give them a few minutes and they’re back jumping up and down.

How did you start your career as a lifeguard?

Right after I graduated from high school, I studied IT for a year before I abandoning it for financial reasons. I then tried my luck as a TKI [migrant worker], working as a golf caddie in Malaysia for three years. Back to Indonesia, I had a brief internship as an airport ground staff member, then worked in a travel agency before I heard about an opening as a lifeguard at Waterbom Jakarta. After working here for two years, I was promoted to a lifeguard supervisor.

Why so many jobs? Are you planning on another switch anytime soon?

I love my job. In my previous job, I was stuck behind a desk. I am an active person, I like to be in the field doing something. So finding a job that suited my taste was really important. I have loved swimming in the river since I was a kid, and my other hobby is fishing. I think water is my element, so I love this job. So far, so great.

What does it take to be a lifeguard?

There is international certification requiring me to swim 400 meters in 13 minutes, to stationary free float for 10 minutes and be able to give medical responses such as delivering first aid and CPR. The certification is renewed every two years. For ocean lifeguards, the requirements are harder. They have to deal with things like the wind and strong currents, which requires more strength and fitness than a water park lifeguard.

Speaking of CPR, please tell us once and for all: how do you perform it correctly?

First, you tilt back the head to ensure that the airway is clear, you then place both of your hands on top of each other about two fingers above the bottom of the rib cage. Compress the chess 30 times and follow with two breaths; repeat this cycle four times. Make sure you keep your elbows straight during the compression and also pinch the nose while delivering the airtight mouth-to-mouth breathing so that the air goes straight into the lungs.

How many lifeguards work at Waterbom?

There are 21 lifeguards, seven pool attendants and three lifeguard supervisors. The lifeguards are mobile, moving from one place to another. Pool attendants are mostly stationed at the tower to advise visitors to slide safely and to keep the situation under control. The pool attendants also receive training, but it is not compulsory for them to have lifeguard certification.

Do you see many differences between local visitors and those from abroad?

I find that foreigners are easier to manage. They are more compliant with safety rules than the locals. The locals always argue with me about rules they feel are too restrictive. Also, locals usually cover their swimwear with shirts while foreigners have no problem walking around in bikinis.

And visitors’ most annoying behavior?

Some like to puncture our floats for no reason, and some of the kids like to stand on unstable floats. This is very dangerous, as you may hit your head when you fall, causing a concussion. We have our own code for such visitors: we usually tell fellow lifeguards to pay extra attention to ‘naughty horses.’

Why don’t they put elevators in the waterslide towers?

[Laughs] We receive frequent questions about this. Basically, all reasons are safety-related. Elevators require electricity, which we avoid due to the risk, however small, of electrocution. Also, from a medical perspective, the workout from climbing the stairs will increase your internal body temperature to compensate for the cold from playing in the water. With this in mind, I don’t think there will ever be elevators in any water park slide towers.

Have you ever taken your kids to play at Waterbom?

I’ve taken them here so often that they are now bored of it [laughs]. Besides my family, I also take my relatives from Yogyakarta to the water park whenever they visit. They enjoy it a lot. It’s a rare treat for them. But strangely, my son does not share my love for swimming, he is a little afraid of water. Maybe he got it from his mom [smiles].

Buntas Setianto was talking to Ria Kurniati.

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