Opinion/Editorial, by Bob Burnside

(Image Source above: "Commitment" Copyright Norton Wisdom 1994. All Rights Reserved. Used here with permission. Do not reproduce without permission.)

At the special request of LACo Chief Lifeguard, Ret., Bob Burnside, we are publishing his recent Op./Ed. on the importance of all United States Ocean Lifeguards, whether active or retired, supporting the efforts of our National Lifeguard Organization, the U.S. Lifesaving Association (aka, USLA).

Bob's remarks, below, which appear in all bold face or highlighted text, were in immediate response to the recent article prepared by USLA President Chris Brewster's thoughts on the recent smear campaign against ocean lifeguards, esp. in Newport Beach, CA. This referenced article with Chris Brewster's remarks can be read at the following link:

AQUATICS INTERNATIONAL
EDITOR’S NOTE
Stop the Smear
The group behind the lifeguard pay smear aims to break unions, and they’ll use whatever they can to sway public opinion and dupe the media.
By Gary Thill | June 2011


http://www.aquaticsintl.com/2011/jun/1106_editor.html


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Editorial About Lifeguard Smear Campaign, by Bob Burnside:

"Great Article... Obviously, the USLA President Chris Brewster has stayed on top of this from the beginning... NOW It is time that The LA CO. Blog and all lifeguards media... need to "REMIND" all its members that they should step up and join the USLA, whether they are competitors or not! The USLA has been and still is the guardian of all lifeguards and a strong advocate for water safety Nationally and Internationally.

Frankly Will, It really rubs me wrong when we all have received and receive so much from lifeguarding... yet so many are too damn cheap to support "Our National Association". Instead they leave it up to a hand of dedicated men and woman who serve without any compensation to represent us all whenever a problem arises. The history of the USLA, and what it has done for lifeguards Nationally is well documented

"Get with it L.A.County Lifeguards!"... Sign up and become a member of "THE FAMILY OF LIFEGUARDS"...

The County has always been the leader, but it isn't just about winning the Lifeguard Championships... It's about supporting "ALL LIFEGUARDS"... which the USLA does!

LACO... be part of the family!

Bob Burnside

(Photo above shows Chief Bob Burnside, circa 2010. Courtesy of BB.)

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Notes:

(1) You can sign up for membership as active or retired at the USLA website at:



http://www.usla.org

An Annual Membership costs only $30 (Thirty Dollars)! I signed up a couple of months ago online at usla.org, which was really easy, and I recently picked up my USLA t-shirt, got some sunscreen too, and am going to get a beach towel as well! USLA Swag is at the top of any recurrent beach lifeguard's portfolio of lifeguard gear. Do NOT be left out! "County Recurrent" definitely supports the USLA!

(2) Just in from Kauai based/retired Zuma Recurrent/Surfing Legend, Larry Loganbill, in response to Bob's halycon call to support the USLA:

"Bob,

I'm signing up now as an Alumnus member now that you put it that way. Lifeguarding put food on my family's plate and helped pay the rent...even when I was teaching in Watts... I worked on weekends at the MB Pier... and during the summers to supplement my income. And beach lifeguarding paid my way through college... even though tuition was mostly free in California during the 60s. And if groceries had not been so expensive at the grocery store in Malibu... when I worked summers at Zuma...I might even had saved enough money to buy a bottle of Red Mountain wine to drink once in awhile. I used my Zuma lifeguarding money I saved from the summers for rent during college and I hashed at a sorority house for my dinners.

Cheers,

Duck"

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10-4

Until next time.....


"County Recurrent" News
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