Public Employee Press

Ready for rescues

City gives summer swimming tests to lifeguard candidates

By DIANE S. WILLIAMS

Liam Kavanagh, first deputy commissioner of the Dept. of Parks and Recreation, was vigilant, clutching his stopwatch as he observed youngsters from around the city competing for coveted summer jobs as Lifeguards at city pools and beaches. The rigorous Lifeguard tests were conducted at Recreation Center 59 on West 59th Street in Manhattan.

Kavanagh was on the sidelines at the Hell’s Kitchen swimming pool together with members of Lifeguard Supervisors Local 508, whose duties include training and certifying New York City Lifeguards.

As a result of the union members’ hard work and an intensive recruitment campaign, the agency was able to hire and certify an all-time record of 1,153 Lifeguards last year.

In order to pass the test and work at one of the city’s public beaches, the 35 candidates who showed up at the city recreation center had to swim 22 laps of the pool — a quarter-mile — in 6 minutes, 40 seconds. Those who completed the test in 7 minutes, 40 seconds, can work at a city pool.

Forgotten heroes

The Lifeguard hopefuls participated in 16 sessions of training that included skills mandated by the New York State Dept. of Health. In addition, they received intensive training in administering first aid and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation. Besides the swimming test, they must also pass a written test and show that they can keep victims afloat with their heads above water and carry them to safety. The successful beach candidates must then pass an ocean checkout at the facility the agency assigns them to.

“Every summer our members do an excellent job of keeping the public safe,” said Local 508 President Peter Stein. “Lifeguards are the city’s forgotten emergency service.”

Kavanagh checked his watch one last time as the young candidates struggled to complete the last lap of the grueling quarter-mile test and beat the time on the glowing digital clock.

“These kids are working very hard for their summer jobs,” said the commissioner. “This is a very good process.”