Re: 2012 Recurrent Recheck Swim
Dateline: May 24, 2012, Venice Beach, Calif.
You heard it first! In an exclusive interview this morning at Division HQ, "County Recurrent" interviewed Chief Mike Frazer.
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About Me
- William Maguire
- Transactional trademark, copyright and licensing attorney. Seasonal beach lifeguard.
7 comments:
Just in from LACo Veteran Recurrent, Kip Jerger: "A couple of things I noticed without measuring is that it is deep water right off the bat. No running out on a sand bar to shorten the course . My personal swim was 2 minutes slower than normal and I'm in shape. I also have to remember that I'm getting older and slowing down a little. Still stoked to be lifeguarding. It's a great job, and this is my 38th year.
Stay in shape, love the ocean and keep em floating !"
Live Aloha , or fake it. : / )
Cheers ,
Kip
Kanoa Aquatics
P.O. Box 3582
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
310.308.7264
www.kanoaaquatics.com
I would like to add, if any Los Angeles CO. Lifeguard needs help passing, I will personally swim the buoys with them. I do not want to witness one more fail. Lets be real after last years FAILS shouldn't WE as a group get it together. I have heard guards say "I would have to work out to make the time standard"
(Professional swimmers???)
Dear Anonymous "Me": I truly admire your professional pride vis a vis 'fitness' for lifeguards. Please be advised that we have some lifeguards who are exceptional but who are not pool fast, as it were, or they may be older and who previously swam the customary 500 + yard recheck swim in the 11 minute range. The current recheck swim is now closer to 700 yards with no change in the time limit (13 minutes). The concern is not the distance. It is a fair swim. It is a great course. It is challenging. The unfairness lies in not changing the time limit. The distance is said to be in excess of the Venice Pier swim which has been suggested as precedent for the 13 minute time limit. This is not a concern to most young lifeguards, though a few young guards have done make ups this year already and passed the second time around. We have recurrents who are away at school or have jobs elsewhere and do not have access to the ocean in advance of their rechecks. I also do not know of anyone complaining about the distance per se in and of itself. Your last comment above about offering to assist your colleagues to pass is admirable and that is among the qualities that will continue to serve you well in your career. My principal concern remains for my colleagues who are on the cusp now that the time limit has not been adjusted to a recheck distance that has been dramatically increased. All the best!
This blog will no longer permit "anonymous" comments. If you have a comment, we want to hear it. You will have to identify yourself, however. That will help to keep the discussion cordial and respectful. We reserve the right to remove offending and/or anonymous comments.
Attn Will, IVAN WILKINS is "me. I did not pay attn to the fact that your blog did not show my email address which is my name. I have no reason to be anonymous, as you know. I voice my opinion at the rechecks as well as on your blog. Again I would like to ask who are you trying to protect? The public or some out of shape friends?
Thank YOU
Ivan L Wilkins
Hi Ivan: I am advocating fairness rather than an arbitrary recheck swim distance. It is not a question of "protection". At what point does the distance not get extended without compensation as to the time limit. Swimming is, of course, the foundational lifeguarding skill. Recognition of ocean conditions is of tremendous importance too. The current Administration decision and the quote from Chief Frazer that I posted recently was the result of discussions with LACOLA. Arthur Verge was instrumental in advocating for fairness and the determination of the actual distance of the swim. The course is said to be 680 yards. Who decided this? It cannot be done arbitrarily. Additionally, as I've said before, I think the current distance is both fair and challenging. My concern, as I've said before, is for the guards who have finished the customary distance in the past in the 11 plus minute range. They will not make the 13 minute cut off, in my opinion, at the current distance. This is unfair, in my opinion. By the way, I haven't heard a single lifeguard complain per se. I know that Arthur Verge was very concerned about the fairness issue that I too am questioning. All Permanents should have to swim the very same and identical course, in my opinion I understand that Permanents get to recheck in their sections, however. This is also not fair, in my opinion. The Venice Pier distance has since been floated as an example of the 13 minute time limit and as a similar distance to the current distance at 26th St. This is why guards will be able to recheck at Venice Pier if they so request. Public Safety is, of course, of the utmost importance. Swimming ability is a key component in this regard. Swimming fast is not the only component to good lifeguard skills, however, as you well know.
As I've said before, I hope you will continue to extol and champion fitness. I for one would love to "Train With Wilkins!" in the ocean even though I would lose sight of you eventually...
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