Pool Operation FAQ

FAQ current as of November 1, 2024

Working as a Lifeguard/Swim Instructor at the City of Port Alberni includes 10 steps:

Step 1: Swimming Ability – Complete Swimmer Level 9 in the Lifesaving Society Swim Lesson Program or equivalent swimming ability (previously named Red Cross Swim Kids Level 10)

Step 2: Bronze Medallion
  • Pre-Requisites: 13-years old
  • 20-hour course
  • Endurance Challenge – Swim 400m (16 lengths) in 12 minutes
Step 3: Bronze Cross
  • Pre-Requisites: Current Bronze Medallion
  • 20-hour course
  • Endurance Challenge – Swim 400m (16 lengths) in 11 minutes
Step 4: Standard 1st Aid with CPR C/AED (SFA)
  • 15 years old
  • 16-hour course
Step 5: National Lifeguard (NL) and Airway Management & Oxygen Administration (AMOA)
  • Pre-Requisites: Bronze Cross (does not need to be current), Standard 1st Aid (does not need to be current), 15-years old (by the last day)
  • 44-hour course
  • Required Physical Standards:
    • Recover a 20lb brick off the bottom of the pool (3m) and carry 5m within 40-seconds
    • Swim underwater for 15m
    • Swim 50m in 60-seconds
    • Swim 20m, recover a submerged victim (or mannequin) from the bottom of the pool and carry 20m
    • Endurance Challenge – Swim 400m (16 lengths) in 10 minutes
Step 6: Swim Instructor
  • Pre-Requisites: Bronze Cross (does not need to be current) and 15-years old (by the last day)
  • Completed Swimmer Level 9 in the Lifesaving Society Swim Lesson Program or equivalent swimming ability (previously named Red Cross Swim Kids Level 10)
  • 40-hour course
Step 7: Apply for a Lifeguard/Swim Instructor Position
  • Submit a copy of your Resume and Cover Letter, along with a copy of your NL, AMOA, Standard 1st Aid and LSI to [email protected]

Step 8: In Person Dry Interview

Step 9: In Person Wet Interview

Upon successfully getting hired, new staff are required to complete a Police Information Check.

Step 10: Orientation & Training Upon being hired, new Lifeguard/Swim Instructors will complete 40-50 hours of shadow guarding and teaching to learn the specifics of lifeguarding and swim instruction at the Echo Aquatic Centre.
 

Note for high school students: You can also earn up to 5 High School Course Credits:

  • Bronze Cross = 2 credits for Grade 11 OR
  • Bronze Cross and Lifesaving Instructor (LSI) = 3 credits for Grade 11
  • National Lifeguard Pool option (NL) = 2 credits for Grade 12

Certified applicants are provided with an opportunity for an in-person interview, and candidates who would be a good fit for the role are invited to do a second interview to assess lifeguarding physical standards, first aid skills and teaching skills. Candidates who are not successful during the second interview are provided with written feedback on the skills that need refinement before re-applying. A second wet interview is offered to any applicant who would like to be re-evaluated.
Currently, we do not have enough staff to have Instructors in the water teaching our swim lessons and Lifeguards on the deck surveilling all the areas of the natatorium, based on the BC Health Act and the BC/Yukon Lifesaving Society standards:
  1. Bather to Lifeguard Ratios: 1 Lifeguard for 1-40 swimmers in the natatorium (Main Pool, Hot Tub, Sauna, Tot Pool and Fitness Studio). At least 2 Lifeguards are on duty when the pool is open to the public to oversee the activities in the pools.
  2. No other duties shall interfere with their pool surveillance: When a Swim Instructor is teaching, they cannot be responsible for any other tasks.
As of November 1, 2024, we have 19 casual Lifeguard/Swim Instructors, 1 full time Aquatic Team Leader and 1 Aquatic Programmer currently available to work.
Aquatic staff can select a package of hours that they will work until their personal circumstances change or select a different package of hours. These packages range from 1-5 days and 5-35 hours per week.
We have a few permanent full-time positions within aquatics:
  • Aquatic Programmer - is our key position and oversees the day-to-day operation of the pool.
  • Aquatic Team Leaders (previously referred to as Full Time Lifeguard/Swim Instructor) - we currently have one on-shift supervisor who supports our Lifeguard/Swim Instructors. We are actively recruiting for a second supervisor to join our team.
Historically, our aquatics staff have valued flexibility. All staff can work up to 40 hours/week by working their assigned package hours and pick-up on-call hours. Currently, most of our staff are in high school or completing post-secondary studies, which prevents them from taking on a permanent full-time position.
At minimum, part-time and casual unionized staff receive an additional 15% of their wage in lieu of benefits (vacation, sick time and extended benefits).
No. Staff are welcome to add additional hours to their scheduled shifts or combine different vacant shifts together to create a longer shift if they desire, which may result in a split shift.
To ensure we have adequate coverage in lifeguarding and swim instruction, we have historically hired employees who are trained as both a Lifeguard and Swim Instructor. If staff are only lifeguarding, two situations could arise:
  • Local residents will not have the opportunity to learn to swim and be safe around bodies of water (a life skill in the Alberni Valley)
  • If locals do not have fundamental swimming skills, there will not be a system in place for local staff to train as future Lifeguards to operate our Aquatic Centre. We would then require staff outside the Valley to move to Port Alberni to operate our facilities.
Evening swim sessions are scheduled based on staff availability and operational needs. Our current focus is to keep up with the demands of the Learn to Swim program.
Historically, Monday to Friday 1:00pm-4:00pm is a quieter time at the pool. We will expand our weekday daytime operating hours when we have trained staff available.
Encouraging work/life balance with our staff is important to us. We chose to provide all staff with a full day of rest on Sundays so that staff had one day each week that they could designate as a day to tackle other priorities in their lives. As we complete the orientation and training of new staff, we anticipate the ability to extend hours on Saturday and open on Sunday when we know that we can adequately fill and maintain staff shifts.
This time is designated as an adult-only swim session as we are not currently adequately staffed to support a larger influx of swimmers.
Learn to Swim lessons are assigned to specific days and times. If staff do not select a shift that has lessons scheduled, then we are unable to offer those lessons. We are exploring different ways to incentivize shifts that include learn to swim lesson sets.
The cost of an annual membership is already significantly lower than a drop-in pass and is available for use at a variety of facilities and activities.
Historically, the City of Port Alberni does not offer signing bonuses to new employees.
This is to ensure a balance between investment by new employees and the amount that taxpayers are already subsidizing City recreation services. Currently, the registration fees for advanced leadership courses are already highly subsidized by taxpayers.
There is currently one full-time position available: Full Time Aquatic Team Leader. In addition, we are seeking Part Time & Casual Lifeguard/Swim Instructors. Casual staff have the flexibility and option of working up to full time hours within our current facility operation schedule.

Do you have a question that’s not answered here? We’d love to hear from you!