Bob Pratt began his lifesaving career as a pool lifeguard and progressed to beach and surf lifeguard, paramedic and firefighter. He retired at the rank of fire marshal after 25 years with the East Lansing Fire Department. He has been a lifeguard instructor, paramedic instructor and served on the health and safety committee for the Red Cross over 20 years. In 2007, Pratt founded the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project.