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    QUESTION
            How does the current staffing level for lifeguards compare to the required number?
0:46:45
·
102 sec
Council Member Shekar Krishnan inquires about lifeguard staffing levels, revealing a discrepancy between the necessary and current numbers, with improvements noted for 2023.
- The necessary number of lifeguards is corrected to about 1400, not 1600 as initially mentioned.
- Last year, staffing was close to 800, similar to the previous year.
- In 2022, 120 new recruits were added, and 2023 saw an increase to 189 recruits.
- Over 500 individuals qualified for training in 2023, exceeding the previous year's numbers.
- Recruitment encompasses a process of qualifiers, training classes, and a final exam to determine assignment to beaches or pools.
                                
                                    Shekar Krishnan
                                
                            
                            
                                            
                                            0:46:45
                                        
                                        My first question is, but as I understand it, last year, I think cognitive numbers are wrong, but I think we fully staffing beaches and pools, and you need about 1600 lifeguards.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:46:55
                                        
                                        And I think Parks was at 800 last year.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:46:59
                                        
                                        Maybe a little bit less the year before.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:01
                                        
                                        Is that give or take?
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:03
                                        
                                        Right from where we need to be and where we're at?
                                    
                                
                                    Sue Donoghue
                                
                            
                            
                                            
                                            0:47:07
                                        
                                        Thank you for the question.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:08
                                        
                                        Not 1600.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:09
                                        
                                        We generally say about 1400 lifeguards.
                                    
                                
                                    Shekar Krishnan
                                
                            
                            
                                            
                                            0:47:12
                                        
                                        And then
                                    
                                
                                    Sue Donoghue
                                
                            
                            
                                            
                                            0:47:13
                                        
                                        last year, we were close to 800.
                                    
                                
                                    Shekar Krishnan
                                
                            
                            
                                            
                                            0:47:14
                                        
                                        800.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:15
                                        
                                        In the year before?
                                    
                                
                                    Sue Donoghue
                                
                            
                            
                                            
                                            0:47:17
                                        
                                        I think it was close to that as well, close to 800,
                                    
                                
                                    Shekar Krishnan
                                
                            
                            
                                            
                                            0:47:19
                                        
                                        so we can
                                    
                                
                                    Sue Donoghue
                                
                            
                            
                                            
                                            0:47:22
                                        
                                        look.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:22
                                        
                                        And
                                    
                                
                                    Iris Rodriguez-Rosa
                                
                            
                            
                                            
                                            0:47:23
                                        
                                        we increased just to add that we increased the number.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:27
                                        
                                        We had a 120 new recruits in 202320 I mean, 2020 2.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:31
                                        
                                        In 2023, we had 189 that actually made it through the whole process.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:37
                                        
                                        So it's important to note that we have individuals that go for the qualifiers.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:41
                                        
                                        And then after they qualify, they have a certain number that come in into the training classes.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:46
                                        
                                        And after the training classes at the fine end of it, then there's a final exam.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:50
                                        
                                        And those are the ones that actually are assigned to either the beaches or the pools.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:47:55
                                        
                                        So just to to share with you that at this time last year, we had about 375 individuals that were in the class actually going through the training.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:48:05
                                        
                                        On their past actually, they passed the qualifiers.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:48:08
                                        
                                        This year, we exceeded over 500 that actually qualified to be able to go into the training class.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:48:14
                                        
                                        Classes.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:48:14
                                        
                                        Now, of course, there there may be drop offs.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:48:17
                                        
                                        We have to understand there may be individuals that passed and that are eligible to go into the training but may not go.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:48:23
                                        
                                        And then at the end of it, we'll see what we what we arrive at.
                                    