Public Employee Press

Lifeguards set new hiring record

For many lifeguards protecting swimmers at New York City’s 54 outdoor pools and the 14 miles of beaches this year, the summer of 2009 will be known as the summer when intensified recruitment efforts swelled their numbers to a new record.

The hiring target was 1,200, and on the iconic Coney Island boardwalk July 2, a beautiful summer morning, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts, Lifeguard Supervisors Local 508 President Peter Stein and Lifeguards Local 461 President Franklyn Paige gathered to announce they had exceeded their goal and to welcome the new recruits.

“Thanks to a vigorous recruitment campaign, this will be the largest group of Lifeguards ever employed by the Parks Dept., beating last year’s record high of 1,148 Lifeguards,” said Benepe at the July 2 news conference. The final count of new Lifeguards, who are members of Local 461, reached 1,331.

Beaches will be safer

“They made this a collaborative effort,” said Stein. “This would not have happened without the union and management working together.” Members of Local 508 provided the rigorous training needed to make sure that New Yorkers would be safe during the busy summer season.

“Our beaches and pools are going to be safer because of these new Lifeguards,” said Roberts.

“I can’t wait to get started, this is very exciting,” said high school senior Katherine Schmitt, the 1,200th Lifeguard to come on board for 2009.

Parks Dept. spokesperson Philip Abramson praised the Lifeguards for the excellent job they do every summer. “They put their lives at risk every day to keep others safe, often with no acclaim, and they deserve our thanks,” he said.

As PEP went to press no one had drowned at any staffed city pool or beach while Lifeguards were are on duty.