NY Post
A staffing shortage is causing some Rockaway Beach lifeguards to fly solo, creating a potentially dangerous situation, guards told The Post.
Lifeguards at the city beach said the long hours on the stand alone compromise safety as they become fatigued or have to deal with multiple rescues. Some staged a protest on Friday.
“If you were out in the water drowning, four of us (have) a lot better chance of seeing you than if I’m by myself on that chair. Especially on a day like today: foggy, muggy,” one lifeguard in his 10th year said Saturday.
Others said they were not even allowed to take bathroom breaks, a distraction that made it harder to focus on swimmers. They said supervisors were not sympathetic.
“All they do when we try to explain to them that we need help and we need the manpower is just, like, ‘Well, you get paid for eight hours.’ ” one guard said.
The Parks Department is missing one-third of its lifeguards which also forced the cancellation of swimming lessons, water exercise classes and swim teams as pools opened for the season Saturday.
The department said it “expected” to have 950 lifeguards ready to go as 49 outdoor pools welcomed swimmers. Beaches already opened May 29.
8 comments:
Gee, I wonder why there is a shortage ? Wink Wink !
l give you some homework Sheeple "Universal Basic Income Has Destructive Effects"
https://www.theadvocates.org/2019/02/universal-basic-income-failed-theory-reality/
Most of these lifeguards aren't paying attention to the water. They spend their time preening and flexing on the taxpayers dime
Democrats are so correct - when skin color is a factor in job selection and tossed into the mix any system can fall apart. We do nothing cleanly or smoothly anymore.
This isn't now, just made worse by the pandemic (though I don't see why).
My brother has a gaming buddy in the Rockaways, he mentioned in 2018 the city was now hiring people from the former east bloc and Latin America for the life guard positions. This guy is a stonehead conservative and ex-marine but not prone to lying and propaganda.
Based on that I asked around and yes, apparently this former pussy-magnet job is not as desirable anymore.
Worse yet, there seems to be a shortage of males capable of meeting the physical requirements. Too much screen time, I guess. That last point was brought out in one of the TV reports on this shortage.
With all the gym bunnies i see around, there ought to be enough good swimmers to full those jobs.
This isn't a Dem Vs repub thing. this is one of those fundamental indicators of societal change...and NOT a positive one.
Rob in Manhattan
$100 billion budget and there aren't enough minimum wage lifeguards? LOL
Swimming isn't a strong suit among NYC youth. They've been importing lifeguards from Europe for years now.
No bathroom breaks? What does that mean? Shit in your shorts? Don't stay hydrated in summer weather? I swear, some people in management aren't really human.
I wouldn’t depend on any NYC lifeguard on Rockaway Beach - half of them don’t know how to swim in the ocean- the lifeguard lessons are in a pool not the open sea.
The surfers are the ones with the experience w/those currents in all weather.they don’t panic and can actually help people in trouble.
The affirmative action teenagers do not have a clue how to rescue a drowning person in the ocean. It’s not part of their culture to be overly concerned with job responsibilities.
Post a Comment