HomeMy WebLinkAboutSupplemental Communications for January 25, 2013 Special CitL 0 A . CITY OF FiUNTINGTON BEACH
[.6.'0 SUPPLEMENTAL COMMUNICATION
171v-�IDJoan L. Flynn, City Clerk
Office of the City Clerk
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Joan L. Flynn, City Clerk
DATE: January 24, 2013
0-
SUBJECT: SUPPLEMENTAL COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE JANUARY 25, 2013,
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Attached is Supplemental Communications to the City Council (received after
distribution of the Agenda Packet):
#1. Communication received from B. Chris Brewster, President of the United States
Lifesaving Association, dated January 11, 2013, entitled Huntington Beach Marine
Safety Realignment.
United States Lifesaving Association
PO Box 366 • Huntington Beach, California 92648 • Tel: 866-FOR-USLA (866-367-8752)
www.usia.org
B. Chris Brewster January 11, 2013
President
Peter Davis
Vice -President
Mayor and City Council
Nikki Bowie Huntington Beach City Hall
secretary
2000 Main Street
Rob Williams Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Treasurer
Charles Hard RE: HUNTINGTON BEACH MARINE SAFETY REALIGNMENT
Executive Delegate
Tim Gallagher Honorable Mayor and City Council,
Advisor
It has come to my attention that you will soon be considering realignments to
Bert Whitaker Liaison Officer the organizational structure of your city and that an aspect of this discussion will
Dr. Peter Wernicki be the positioning of Huntington Beach Marine Safety. I laud you for
Medical Advisor considering this important issue as part of your review.
John "Chip" More
LegalAdvtsor A number of beach lifeguard organizations in the United States started out as
part of public safety departments, whether police or fire. That was the case in
Huntington Beach. Others began in parks and recreation departments. In the
middle part of the last century, due perhaps to government consolidations, it
became most typical to find beach lifeguard operations in parks and recreation
departments or in other departments lacking a public safety focus.
Over the past 15 years, this has changed markedly throughout the US. As
beach lifeguard operations have increased their professionalism, along with the
volume and complexity of emergency cases they handle, and as the importance
of safe beaches to local economies has mushroomed, beach lifeguard
operations have become recognized as a public safety function, rather than a
recreational function, and departmental alignments have changed accordingly.
Just as police officers regularly interface with fire departments and EMS
services (and vise -versa), marine safety personnel now regularly interface with
all three, and in some cases act as scene commanders of major incidents.
Their success may ensure that lives are saved. Their failure may mean that
lives are lost. This requires an administrative skillset and focus that is not
common to parks and recreation administrators. Thus it has become
increasingly uncommon to find beach lifeguard operations in parks and
recreation departments. SUPPLEMENTAL
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M"Ong Date: / — --cQ013
Agenda Item No.
The ideal alternative, from the perspective of many lifeguards, is a separate department
focusing on beach safety. This approach recognizes that like police and firefighters,
lifeguards have unique skills, responsibilities, equipment, and training requirements.
The other common options involve making lifeguards part of a police or fire department.
Each option has pros and cons.
I have not heard from any lifeguard now in a fire department who would prefer to revert
to a former location in a parks and recreation department. Many benefits are cited
including a focus on public safety, emphasis on training, and enhanced community
respect, which translates to improved morale. There are issues of concern commonly
raised however. These stem, in part, from the reality that the fire department culture is
sometimes insular, personnel scheduling is markedly different, rank structure is unique,
there is a focus on response rather than prevention, and some firefighters have sought,
sometimes successfully, to take over lifeguard duties. This latter situation has obvious
morale ramifications.
The police alignment option may avoid some of these issues in that scheduling is more
similar, rank structure is similar, and certain cultural and deployment aspects are
similar. For example, lifeguards normally patrol and respond individually or in pairs,
rather than in the larger teams common to firefighters. Police are also typically
uninterested in broadening into lifeguard rescue functions. As well, lifeguards and police
patrol the beaches together, particularly at high season, so positive working
relationships tend to exist. This alignment however, requires an acceptance by
lifeguards of aspects of the police culture, which may include full level background
investigations for full time personnel. It is perhaps best suited to marine safety agencies
where the personnel already have arrest powers and responsibilities.
Clearly, you have many issues to address when you consider realignment of your
marine safety group. I would respectfully suggest to you that whichever option you
choose, beach lifeguard operations have often suffered in a wide variety of ways when
they have been attached to departments with dissimilar foci and a lack of expertise in
public safety. Your marine safety group has an extraordinary history that is literally
recognized throughout the world. I encourage you to consider your options in context of
helping them maintain and burnish that reputation.
Sincerely,
B. Chris Brewster
President
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