XN000022-1985-06-15 — Page 10

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ON

SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 1985

+1N FACT, THE USD'S LIFEGUARDS ARE HIGHLY QUALIFIED,+ SAID MR PAUL CHEUNG, SENIOR AMENITIES OFFICER (SWIMMING). +THE MINIMUM ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS OF LIFEGUARDS ARE A BRONZE

IN ADDITION MEDAL AWARD AND A VALID FIRST-AID CERTIFICATE.

THEY MUST HAVE A GOOD PHYSIQUE, GOOD VISION AND A GOOD EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND.+

MR CHEUNG NOTED THAT ALL SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES RECEIVED A TWO-WEEK INDUCTION COURSE BEFORE BEING POSTED TO BEACHES OR SWIMMING POOLS. DURING THE COURSE, THEY ARE TAUGHT LIFE-SAVING SKILLS, FIRST-AID TECHNIQUES, LAW ENFORCEMENT AT BEACHES AND SWIMMING POOLS, AND THE OPERATION OF CATAMARANS.

EVERY YEAR THE DEPARTMENT. TOGETHER WITH THE AUXILIARY MEDICAL SERVICES, ORGANISES REFRESHER COURSES FOR SERVING LIFEGUARDS TO UPDATE THEM ON FIRST-AID TECHNIQUES.

IN ADDITION, REGULAR DRILLS ARE HELD FOR ALL SERVING LIFEGUARDS TO ENABLE THEM TO PERFORM THEIR DUTIES EFFICIENTLY.

THE DEPARTMENT FURTHER ENCOURAGES SERVING LIFEGUARDS TO ATTAIN HIGHER LIFE-SAVING QUALIFICATIONS SO AS TO PROVIDE A BETTER STANDARD OF SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC.

MR CHEUNG SAID THAT TO STRENGTHEN ITS NORMAL LIFE-SAVING SERVICES DURING THE SUMMER SEASON, THE DEPARTMENT RECRUITS A LARGE NUMBER OF PART-TIME LIFEGUARDS. AT PRESENT. THERE ARE 280 FULL-TIME LIFEGUARDS AND 100 PART-TIME LIFEGUARDS.

THE PART-TIME LIFEGUARDS ARE EITHER EMPLOYED ON A SHORT CONTRACT TERM AT A MONTHLY SALARY OF $3 055 OR ON A $121-A-DAY BASIS.

THE NUMBER OF LIFEGUARDS POSTED AT THE VARIOUS URBAN COUNCIL BEACHES AND SWIMMING POOLS DEPENDS ON THEIR RESPECTIVE SIZE AND ATTENDANCE FIGURES. THERE ARE AT LEAST SIX LIFEGUARDS ON DUTY AT A BEACH AND 12 AT A SWIMMING POOL. HOWEVER, AT A LARGE AND HEAVILY PATRONISED BEACH SUCH AS REPULSE BAY, THERE ARE AS MANY AS 20 LIFEGUARDS AT ANY ONE TIME PLUS ADDITIONAL STAFF DURING WEEKENDS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS.

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