REMARKS
Kevin Riley introduces a resolution to address lifeguard shortages
0:53:18
·
129 sec
Council Member Kevin Riley introduces Resolution 251 to combat the lifeguard shortage by empowering the New York State Education Department to support the NYC Parks Department's need for more lifeguards.
- Kevin Riley proposes enabling high school seniors to earn physical education credit for lifeguard certification to address the shortage.
- The NYC Department of Parks And Recreation currently operates 91 pools but faced a shortage, hiring only 650 lifeguards in 2023, down from previous years.
- The resolution aims to encourage students to pursue lifeguarding, helping to alleviate current and future shortages.
- Riley discusses partnerships and strategies for improving swim safety, access, and drowning prevention at a legislative breakfast.
Kevin Riley
0:53:18
Good afternoon, colleagues.
0:53:19
I am proud to be introducing Resolution 251.
0:53:23
This resolution will empower the New York State Education Department to support the New York City Parks department's need for more lifeguards.
0:53:32
The Department of Parks And Recreation maintains and operates 91 poles, including 79 outdoor swimming pools and 12 indoor swimming pools dispersed across facilities throughout the five boroughs.
0:53:43
In 2023, the parks department hired 650 lifeguards to monitor beaches and public pools.
0:53:50
That was short of the 1400 life cars and department had on staff before the pandemic and the 100 fewer than the 900 employed in the sum of 2022.
0:54:00
The increase in shortage of lifeguards have led to close beaches and pools during the time where we need to be invested in our city's vibrant.
0:54:09
I had the pleasure of joining the YMCA's legislative breakfast at this past year's Sonos conference and discuss the partnerships related to the improvement swim safety assume access and drowning prevention.
0:54:21
A solution that was raised and often is caused on city agencies to empower our community partners equipped to carry out work extends beyond department limits.
0:54:31
The lifeguard crisis is an issue that extends beyond the Department of Parks And Recreation and significantly our need significantly indicates our needs to bolster this workforce with motivated cohort equipped to boost low staff in numbers and improve our current human capital lifeguard index as soon as possible by enabling the New York State education to apartment to allow physical education credit for high school seniors who have their lifeguard certification in New York City, ages seventeen and up.
0:55:02
This bill will work to resolve current and future shortages by encouraging students to pursue this opportunity.
0:55:09
In addition to the resolution I'm introducing today, I'm grateful to the legislative document division for their work to align bill reintroduction for the new session.
0:55:18
I urge my colleagues to sign on to Resolute 251 to help end our life guard crisis in addition to the bills I have reintroduced today.
0:55:26
Thank you, majority of you.