They aren't distracted by bypassers who wants to talk and disturb the lifeguard? Greater depedency on vision perhaps makes it easier to spot people in trouble, too. But you are raising a good question.
My point was perhaps not that deaf people are good as lifeguards, but that I can't imagine any real disadvantages, and there can't be any significant ones when a deaf lifeguard is put in the world record book for highest number of savings?
I am not sure if there really is any big disadvantages or advantages in any job for deaf people. To me, it's often hearing people who decides the limitations, hence the "deaf people fit this but not that". If the whole world was deaf, we would still, for example, have pilots in the air force, and deafness would not be an issue. Even a deaf soldier can learn to move quiet and spot other soldiers by reading the nature. Ok, just my 2 cents.
