If corporations are people, they are especially heartless ones:

As lifeguards are paid and trained to do, Tomas Lopez rushed down the beach to rescue a drowning man — and then got fired for it.

The problem: Lopez stepped out of the beach zone his company is paid to patrol, a supervisor said Tuesday.

“I ran out to do the job I was trained to do,” said Lopez, 21, of Davie. “I didn’t think about it at all.”

At least two other lifeguards have quit in protest.

“What was he supposed to do? Watch a man drown?” asked one, Szilard Janko.

Company officials said they have to enforce the rules. The rule is in place because “we have liability issues and can’t go out of the protected area.” Besides, the unprotected area the victim was swimming in had signs warning swim at your own risk.

So, yes, the company’s position is watch him drown.

The job paid $8.25 an hour. No benefits.