REMARKS
Council Member Vickie Paladino comments on NYC lifeguard shortage
4:52:11
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128 sec
Council Member Paladino explains the difficulties in recruiting and retaining NYC lifeguards.
- She notes that fewer young people want to become lifeguards these days
- The lifeguard training is intense, taking 16 weeks and including ocean rescues
- College students interested in summer lifeguard jobs face logistical challenges like travel for training
- She suggests recruiting directly from local colleges and universities
Vickie Paladino
4:52:11
One more moment.
4:52:12
As far as the life God shortage goes, we've talked about this is so redundant.
4:52:18
Everybody's got face back to him.
4:52:20
Nobody wants to be a lifeguard.
4:52:24
It's just the way it is.
4:52:25
You're not getting people because they don't wanna do it.
4:52:29
And we've talked about this jokingly.
4:52:31
Years ago, it was a status for a young guy, a young girl to become a lifeguard.
4:52:36
I don't know why and maybe they're more interested in using this, but enough is enough with that, you know, face facts and that's what they need to do.
4:52:45
Is that get your young people shaken up.
4:52:49
Stop giving them what they need.
4:52:50
Tell them they gotta go out and earn a living and become a lifeguard in awesome way.
4:52:54
Also, the training.
4:52:56
That's involved.
4:52:57
You said 16 weeks.
4:52:59
Well, if anybody knows, if you're going out into the ocean, it's not just jumping off, you know, like, hey, this isn't Baywatch.
4:53:05
These guys have to take the canoes.
4:53:07
They gotta go out.
4:53:08
They gotta paddle against me.
4:53:10
It's it's so intense.
4:53:11
Mhmm.
4:53:12
So that's that it's rough.
4:53:14
It really is.
4:53:15
The other thing is I do have young people who are interested.
4:53:19
They are college age, and a little bit older.
4:53:23
They're looking for summer jobs.
4:53:25
The the problem with that is where they need to go train is a great distance away from their house.
4:53:32
That's 1.
4:53:33
The other thing is that some are certified but they need to get recertified.
4:53:39
It seems to be a bit complicated.
4:53:42
So if you guys will reach out to my office or we shall reach out to you, Another suggestion is, the student is at Saint John's, and or will be graduating Saint John's.
4:53:54
If we start to hit our college campuses up,
Sue Donoghue
4:53:57
Mhmm.
Vickie Paladino
4:53:58
This is a this is something like I said, you know, the ying and the yang of it.
4:54:03
And it is work involved.
4:54:05
So to be a pool life guard is one thing, and to be a beach life guard is apples and oranges.
4:54:10
Mhmm.
4:54:11
So I think that's all I wanna say.
4:54:13
Thank for the trees that you planted last year in my district.
4:54:16
I'm looking for someone.
4:54:17
Thank you.
Sue Donoghue
4:54:18
Thank you.