Lifeguards, Flag System, 20/20

[Smiling JOe]

There is nothing like a few shark attacks to keep people out of the ripcurrents. Any thoughts on bringing sharks closer to the beach to help prevent more drownings. Afterall, as I predicted, we have had more deaths from drownings than from shark bites this year. What do you say?

 

[ktmeadows]

The bigger question is.....will a 16 year old earning $8.50/hr be willing (or brave enough!) to attempt to save a victim from the jaws of a shark? We're not talking your average swimming pool lifeguard duties here.

Now....if we could get a few David Hasselhoff-type lifeguards on the beach, that might be another story!

 

[Kathryn]

Can anyone bring back that mind control photo of David Hasselhoff wearing a David Hasselhoff bikini on a David Hasselhoff bikini on a David Hasselhoff bikini ...... :shock:

 

[Smiling JOe]

Now....if we could get a few David Hasselhoff-type lifeguards on the beach, that might be another story!

Even if you paid lifeguards annual salary of $30,000 each, where would they live?

 

[kathydwells]

Even if you paid lifeguards annual salary of $30,000 each, where would they live?

I was wondering the same thing SJ.

 

[TooFarTampa]

Even if you paid lifeguards annual salary of $30,000 each, where would they live?

It seems to me that it would be reasonable to have trained college kids working the beaches in the summer, but you'd have to have dorm-like facilities for them to stay in. I don't think the area has enough trained kids (who could drive in and out every day) to support the demand for lifeguards. There definitely would need to be a formal program with recruiting and housing. I'm not opposed to it at all. In fact I think it's a great idea. But putting such a program together is a challenge and will take some time to plan and execute.

 

[drsvelte]

There definitely would need to be a formal program with recruiting and housing. I'm not opposed to it at all. In fact I think it's a great idea. But putting such a program together is a challenge and will take some time to plan and execute.

Sandestin recently built dormitory/appartment housing for some of their employees.

 

[ktmeadows]

Even if you paid lifeguards annual salary of $30,000 each, where would they live?

If it's David Hasselhoff, he's welcome to stay at our place! :laughing1

 

[beachmouse]

As has been asked earlier, how much should a lifeguard earn? Where are they supposed to come from? My guess is that we would need to tap the 16 ? 21 year old surfer crowd. This is appropriate, as they know our beach better than most people do.

The local surfer crowd is already pretty tapped out for those kinds of jobs. Foreign college kids already do a lot of the lifeguarding in Okaloosa and Escambia counties- seems like they're commonly from places like Poland, England, and former Yugoslavian and Soviet republics. And regardless of citizenship or nationality, everyone has to meet the same standards to get a lifeguarding job in those places.

 

[ShallowsNole]

Back to the $30K salary issue, bear in mind that's not too far from what a beginning Walton County deputy sheriff makes. Starting salary for a City of DeFuniak Springs police officer is $22K. :roll:

So, not only would it not make sense (in my mind, anyway) to pay them $30K, they most definitely don't have anywhere to live.

There has got to be an answer, but I don't know what it is.