Monday, September 29, 2008

MAKUTA Finishes THIRD in ROOKIE SWIM!!!..... Kailey, that is !

Dateline: Santa Monica, Calif. Saturday, Sept. 27, 2008.

Kailey Makuta, daughter of Legendary L.A. County Beach Lifeguard Capt.
Jim Makuta, finished THIRD overall in this past saturday's annual
LACo Beach Lifeguard Rookie Candidate Swim Race. Over 200 candidates
took part in the swim, with the first 110 finishers qualifying for
the next phase, e.g., oral interviews, followed by medical/physical exam
and then rookie school itself in May/June '09.




"Kailey and Jimmy Makuta Celebrating her Third Place Finish"
Photo by Will Maguire. Used here with permission... duh !

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Ordinance Enforcement 101; Lesson 1




Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008

COUNTY RECURRENT Presents: Ordinance Enforcement 101:

Lesson I: Nudity On The Beach

I. Hypothetical: "There you are in the last half-hour of your shift, the sun is setting, and you have a few swimmers still in the water, when you notice an attractive young couple (late 20's, early 30's) approximately one tower's distance from your tower, in waist deep surf in close proximity to each other and otherwise in a lover's embrace buoyed by the salt water. You continue to watch the water and scan your area to make sure all swimmers are safe; you look right: Lifeguard at Tower #6, check. As you gaze left again you notice the couple leaving the water and given your sharp eyesight and experience your brain says, "she's not wearing ANYTHING !" Thinking "ordinance enforcement" potential, you reach for your Bushnell 10 x 50's and sure enough, you were right ! She is completely NAKED head to toe. You also file away other statistics such as blond, female, approx. 5' 7", slender, perfect.., skip that and, hmm, she must use a hair removal product... (OMG ! This woman is a 10 !.... I can't believe my eyes !.... GET HOLD OF YOURSELF, MAN !.....) OK, OK, FOCUS..... Again, you scan the water in your area because you know that the Lifeguard Manual instructs that "Ordinance Enforcement" is secondary and can only be conducted so long as there is no risk to the swimmers in your area. And so you continue to watch the water, scanning left and right, using your binoculars to check all swimmers and bathers in your area... Lifeguard in Tower #6, check ! You do not take a photo because you do not carry a sophisticated camera with a 1000 mm telephoto lens (Darn!) and your miniature 3 mega pixel piece of crap digital camera can in no way, shape or form capture the aforementioned ordinance violation with any specificity.

(x-ref: hypothetical geographic template: Will Rogers Tower 8, at approx. 1830 hrs; aforementioned bathers sighted at WR T-10).



II. Issue: What are the relevant County Codes and Lifeguard manual guidelines for this, albeit, "hypothetical" situation.

III. Answer:

A. Los Angeles, California County Code

Title 17 PARKS, BEACHES AND OTHER PUBLIC AREAS*

Chapter 17.12 BEACHES[9]

17.12.360 Nudity and disrobing.
A. No person shall appear, bathe, sunbathe, walk, change clothes, disrobe or be on any beach in such manner that the genitals, vulva, pubis, pubic symphysis, pubic hair, buttocks, natal cleft, perineum, anus, anal region or pubic hair region of any person, or any portion of the breast at or below the upper edge of the areola thereof of any female person, is exposed to public view, except in those portions of a comfort station, if any, expressly set aside for such purpose.
B. This section shall not apply to persons under the age of 10 years, provided such children are sufficiently clothed to conform to accepted community standards.
C. This section shall not apply to persons engaged in a live theatrical performance in a theater, concert hall, or similar establishment which is primarily devoted to theatrical performances. (Ord. 11175 § 1, 1975: Ord. 9767 Art. 3 § 51, 1969.)

http://www.bpcnet.com/cgi-bin/hilite.pl/codes/lacounty/_DATA/TITLE17/Chapter_17_12_BEACHES_9_.html

B. County of Los Angeles Lifeguard Training Manual, Section 3 Lifeguard Operations, Law Enforcement

Ordinance Enforcement (pages 3.30 - 3.31)
A Lifeguard's prime responsibility is to safeguard the people swimming in their water. At no time should any ordinance enforcement be allowed to interfere with complete water coverage. Ordinance violators must be dealt with firmly, but with courtesy and tact. Clear communication to the violator of the ordinance, and the underlying reasons for it, are the best means of dealing with the violation quickly and efficiently. If questioned, be clear in stating your authority and concern for their safety. To do this, you must understand those ordinances affecting your beach. You will occasionally be confronted by continued resistance, reluctance or antagonism on the part of the violator. Should such a situation occur, do not waste time with it. Back off and call headquarters, requesting them to summon your area supervisor. Your area supervisor will determine if the police agency having jurisdiction over your beach should be called for enforcement. Upon the arrival of a police officer, a Lifeguard can describe a violation they have witnessed. If you are acting upon information supplied by a beach patron, keep that person near your tower so the police will have the opportunity to obtain all necessary information. The violator can be apprehended, and a citation can be issued by the police officer, and signed by the Lifeguard, if the lifeguard witnessed the violation. Lifeguards are not authorized to cite, but can make an arrest as a private citizen, or public officer (P.C. 836.5 and 837).

The Beach Ordinance (in part; page 3.31)
The beach ordinances are all misdemeanor offenses or infractions, meaning that only the person who sees the violation can make an arrest or sign a complaint. When a violation is reported to a Lifeguard, the following procedure should be followed:
• Ask the person to remain at your station. If there are witnesses, request they stay and speak with the police.
• Notify your immediate supervisor.
• If you can safely do so without interfering with your water coverage, keep the suspect under surveillance. If the suspect attempts to leave, request assistance from Area Headquarters. Inform the complainant that they can make an arrest and request aid from other citizens.

IV. CONCLUSIONS

What conclusions can be drawn from this hypothetical ?

A. What was I, I mean, what were you thinking by not running down there to evaluate the unclothed beach patron for vitals, hypothermia, ordinance enforcement and follow up contact information.
B. Why did you not have her male beach patron companion/suspect arrested and taken away by the police, as per the County Code and Beach Ordinance.
C. Why didn't you offer her a ride home as a "good samaritan"?

D. That you did continue to put public safety first by watching the water and did not make the ordinance enforcement because that would have necessitated leaving the tower and not being able to watch the swimmers at adjacent Tower 7.
E. That you continued to surveil the suspect, I mean, suspects with respect to the aforementioned ordinance violation without interfering with your water coverage.
F. That by the time the swimmers in your area exited the water (Finally !... "F"!), the suspects had retreated to the parking lot and clothed themselves on the way and then drove off away from, as opposed to into the sunset, in a silver late model convertible 3 series bmw with the Calif. license plate.........

Over,

Will Maguire,
on behalf of COUNTY RECURRENT News
http://CountyRecurrent.blogspot.com
email: will.maguire@verizon.net

DISCLAIMER: This email and its contents and specifically the "hypothetical" and its resolution discussed herein are intended to provide academic and satirical consideration to certain narrow hypothetical ordinance related incidents that may or may not occur on the beach, together with the use of humor to highlight the issues contained in said hypothetical.

County Recurrent is not affiliated with nor sponsored by LACoFD or LACOLA or the El Camino College History Dept.

*** PLEASE forward to other Recurrents, past and present, so that we can add them to our mailing list. ***

*** OPT - OUT *** Just hit reply and type in "Opt Out" in the subject line to be removed from this email list.

*** OPT IN *** Just send us an email and we will add you to the list.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Rookie Swim Test COUNTDOWN !......

Oh the good old days of early morning wake up calls and the anticipation of a warm, gentle swim the ocean with 300 - 400 of your closest friends.....

It's upon us again, The LACo Rookie Swim Test is just over a week away, so break out your sunglasses, shorts, beach chair, camera, sunscreen, hat and binoculars and come watch the fun on:

Saturday, September 27, 2008. Rookie check in is at 7 a.m. As usual, just south of the Santa Monica Pier. SMHQ will once again be the cattle pen for the aspiring rookie candidates.

For more official information, please see the following:

Saturday, 09/27/2008 2008 Ocean Lifeguard Candidate Exam
The Ocean Swim test for all Ocean Lifeguard Candidates will be held at Santa Monica Beach.

https://watchthewater.org/recruitment/>https://watchthewater.org/recruitment/

and

https://watchthewater.org/recruitment/process5.cfm>https://watchthewater.org/recruitment/process5.cfm

Everyone (well nearly) enjoys a story with a Happy Ending, so here are a few photos from the Sept. 2006 Rookie Swim Test from pre-race to post.

Enjoy !

Pre-Race: Cattle Call, Check-in and Briefing (cued to the title/theme song of the 60's western tv series, RAWHIDE)...



Pre-Race: Herding of the Candidates at Starting line



The Shotgun Start: Courtesy of Section Chief Scott Davey (who apparently received this shotgun as a gift from Hal Dunnigan who himself allegedly was given it by his father in law many years ago as a wedding present).....



The Mad Dash Into The Sea.....



The Finish and The Happy Ending: Rookie Candidate Chris Newman, finishing in the Top 30, qualified for rookie school. Shown here with his dear old dad, the inimitable and infamous "Newmie" of Baywatch fame, LACo Lifeguard lore, aka Michael A. Newman, along with Chris' younger sister, Emily Newman, a future rookie candidate herself. Young Chris since finishing rookie school has worked the past two summers ('07 and '08) in Venice and especially likes the rescues and preventions in the Avenues, in an ironic twist and change of direction from that of his father who is still a legend at Will Rogers Tower #8.....




Hope to see those of you who can come and watch the celebrations and the carnage, with drinks to follow at a no-host bar to be selected by Don Spitler and Abbey Schneider...

Surf's Up !

Will Maguire,
COUNTY RECURRENT News
http://CountyRecurrent.blogspot.com

*** Not Affiliated with LACoFD or LACOLA ***

Thursday, September 11, 2008

The Rip Out Front !

Dateline: Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008: Santa Monica South Tower #22

The Rip Out Front of SMS T-22 sunday afternoon; photo captures an unoccupied riptide churning away.



The Rip To The Left: Another riptide captured halfway between Tower 24 and 22



The Rip To The Right: A Huge Rip hoovering out in front of T-20




Disclaimer: These photos only required moments to take using practiced, if not amateurish, point and shoot techniques. The photographer apologizes for the lack of a telephoto lens and filters and more sustained camera set up techniques which would have produced much better photographic results, but then again the photographer was watching the water while pointing and shooting the camera in hopes of being able to capture a couple of riptides for academic and scholarly purposes and for use in the training of cadets and youth. Blah, blah, blah.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Labor Day at Will Rogers

Aah, Labor Day ! Sunshine, surf, sand, the sound of the waves..... a nice nap in the warm sand....... scrreech..... Gotta Watch The Water !!!

Where: Will Rogers North, Tower 3, High Noon ! The tried and true 12 to 8 shift!



Dislocated Shoulder suffered by beach patron at 1430 hrs and later, as previously posted, Sylvester showed up with his boogie board (see below) and a deer, that's right, a deer with antlers showed up as the sun was setting and ran along the beach in front of Gladstone's, peeled off behind Tower 3 briefly and then back along the sand just shy of Tower 2 and then bolted on up to the parking lot near the Castellamare bridge. Just another day in Paradise. Not sure what the omens were vis a vis the appearance of Sylvester followed by the running deer. Will have to check in with the assorted Lifeguard-Ph.d's for that one...



Perhaps, the metaphor is to have fun in the summer but when it ends get the heck on with your life. Or maybe it was just some looney tune kid in a very hot and sweaty Halloween costume and the deer was just lost.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

It is SYLVESTER !

The jury is in. Or at least the Answer to the name of the cartoon character boogie board carrying beach patron at Will Rogers North on Labor Day. It is none other than the famed Warner Bros. Looney Tunes character, Sylvester ! Missing yesterday was, of course, his sidekick Tweetie !

http://looneytunes.warnerbros.com/web/stars/stars_sylvester.jsp

Many thanks to Terry Flanagan, Retired COUNTY RECURRENT, for the correct answer. Your cup of coffee is waiting at Santa Monica Headquarters!

Name That Cartoon Character !?...



Just when you thought you had seen everything ! I thought this boogie board carrying cartoon character seemed somewhat out of place at Will Rogers North on Labor Day... but maybe he was just practicing for Halloween next month. In any case, I thought it was the famed Hanna-Barbera character "Snagglepuss", but I was wrong.

Thus, the inquiry is hereby made to all COUNTY RECURRENTS. Can you name this cartoon character ? It's not Pepe La Pieu either.

Please respond to Will.Maguire@verizon.net

Winner gets a cup of coffee at Central Section Headquarters.