Rockaways Roundtable: New York City Aquatic Culture?

ATTENDING:
Carl Quigley (host) – former SFC Aquatics Director / Assistant AD
Janet Fash – Chief Lifeguard, NYC Parks
Peter Kohnstamm – formerly w/ Swim for Life
Michael Randazzo – Inclusive Community Wellness
Shawn Slevin – Swim Strong Foundation
Perry Williams – community activist

SUMMARY:
A gathering of long-time NYC aquatics advocates / community activists assessed the lifeguard situation at the city’s public and private pools. The verdict? The union that oversees the NYC Lifeguard Academy (NYCLA) and the city’s guard force is failing in its mission towards its members and the people of New York City.

There’s hope that a newly energized NYC Parks administration—with Deputy Commissioner Iris Rosa-Rodriguez taking the lead—will help reform the union and boost the number of lifeguards for NYC pools / beaches.

Of great promise is the recently announced partnership between NYC Parks and the DOE for greater access to pools in public schools. An important step is to survey all DOE personnel so that Parks can pivot quickly to greatly increasing swim and lifeguard instruction in NYC.

Lifeguarding at Rockaway Beach. Photo: NYC Parks

ISSUES RAISED:
- If identifying quality lifeguard candidates are the issue, what’s the best method to recruit them?
- In making pools in public schools accessible, how will NYCLA to attract more HS kids to be guards?
- Who’s making suggestions / facilitating change for the task force on NYC lifeguard / swimming issues?
- How can NYC develop a culture of aquatics?

Current state of city’s lifeguards / recruitment
- NYCLA union is corrupt; lifeguards led astray by a union head not acting in their / New Yorker’s best interest
- NYC Parks cannot break the union but they need to know / use their power better
- NYC lifeguard standards vary from USLA standards and from NYS standards
- NYCLA swim test failures are arbitrary; theirs’ is not a rational training process
- NYCLA training has improved recently b/c it incorporates Red Cross standards
- Marketing to prospective candidates is poor; training in Manhattan dissuades prospects from other boroughs.

Lifeguard class at Philip Howard Apartments. Photo: M. Randazzo

What will make this situation better for NYers?
- Starguard—tiered level of lifeguard qualification. Why does NYC LA insist on a one-size fits all approach?
- Majority of NYC public pools are shallow and only the city’s five beaches need expanded training.
- Clarify different standards needed for training in ocean, fresh water, pools
- NYCLA should adopt Red Cross standards, shorten their training sessions and change qualifying standards
- Look to Florida and California for professionalism
- Why does NYC make LGs recertify every year? Change this to every two years
- Recertify in September—right after the season is over
- Need to do more training / testing in the ocean – like Nassau County
- Parks Deputy Commissioner sets policy for lifeguards; can reassign chiefs
- Put the lifeguard union under FDNY leadership; question is: What will that take?
- Create swim lifeguard opportunities at DOE schools w/pools
- Not just students; consider intergenerational approach to swimming / lifeguarding
- Survey DOE staff (teachers, paraprofessionals, clerical staff) to identify swim / lifeguard skills
- Emphasize the points for being a first responder / pension bump beginning as a LG in high school

Constituencies served / impacted by access to swimming:
- Community swim programs (youth / adult)
- Swim teams (youth / high school / collegiate)
- Water polo teams (youth / collegiate)
- Masters swimmers
- Senior swimmers
- Lifeguard certification candidates
- NYPD / FDNY / service agencies

Photo: Richard Schunemann

NYC Lifeguard Interorganizational Task Force:
Organized by YMCA of Greater New York and the Association for a Better New York; task force includes the American Red Cross, Asphalt Green, a bushel of city offices, Rising Tide Effect the Swim Strong Foundation among others.

Task Force Goals:
- Align quality / certification requirements
- Broaden recruitment efforts / increase access to swim + water safety in NYC
- Advocate for city + state legislation as well as lobby NYC City Council

NEXT STEPS:
- Collaborate on a survey of all DOE staff; map of DOE pools; define requirements for usage during school time and afterschool
- Connect with the NYC Lifeguard Task Force
- Organize a symposium on NYC Aquatic Culture for August; idea is to strike while this is a hot topic

Background Material:
More Public Pools Could Save Lives - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/27/opinion/drowning-public-pools-america.html
Why American Stopped Building Pools - https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/22/business/public-pools-extreme-heat/index.html
NYC Lifeguard situation: https://hellgatenyc.com/you-are-the-difference-between-life-and-death-in-the-ocean
NYC Lifeguard Task Force - https://www.thecity.nyc/2023/3/28/23659235/lifeguard-pay-raise-swim-task-force
NYC DOE will host expanded swim programs - https://www.thecity.nyc/2023/7/11/23790216/budget-swim-lessons-school-pools
Impact of drowning nationally - https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/08/health/children-drowning-deaths.html
Legislation to count drownings - https://gothamist.com/news/new-legislation-would-require-nyc-to-gather-data-on-drownings
Red Cross lack of oversight on certification - https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/07/16/red-cross-lifeguard-certification-fraud