A dramatic first world development

[aw451]

It's one of those jobs where nothing ever happens, until it does. Drowning is silent, especially with kids.

There are international standards in lifeguarding. I do wonder what the training is like in China. Or in Hong Kong. Bit off-topic but probably quite good for beach lifeguards, not for pools, in HK at least.

Government representatives could pop over to Bond, Bronte, or Manly to see how the big boys do it. How to recruit, train, and keep retention rates high. Collusion with foreign forces probably so nevermind.

I think it is probably related to minimum wage in Australia being significantly higher than HK

[jabalong]

Our pool was/is closed today due to weather (thunderstorm sign included) in this heat and they close the pool due to the weather?

It's such a joke that Hong Kong has this mandate requiring lifeguards in pools.

And it's an even bigger joke that they don't let said lifeguards use their judgement as to the thunderstorm risk.

Last week, I got kitted out, went down, only to be told it was closed for a one-hour thunderstorm warning.

Went back after, swam for 15 minutes before being told to get out due to another thunderstorm warning.

It was all blue skies then. As it is now. Yet, our pool just came out of another two-hour thunderstorm closure.

In hindsight, the three years of the pandemic were bliss in one respect. With the pool closed, I forgot all about this madness.