Temporary Lifeguard

The Position

Limerick City and County Council is responsible for the promotion of water safety and the prevention of the loss of life by drowning within the boundary of Limerick and on the rivers and navigation channels. The Council works closely with the local Fire & Rescue services, Civil Defence units and local Search & Rescue units.

Main Duties:

• Beach lifeguards will be responsible for the performance of their duties and will work under the immediate supervision of the Water Safety Development Officer or their nominee.

• Beach Lifeguards shall read, be familiar with and adhere to the Safety Statement for Beach guards; participate in induction training and cooperate with other safety training provided by the Council as required. Any issues of health and safety concern shall be referred to the Water Safety Development Officer, the Executive Engineer – Coastal or the Health and Safety Officer. The procedure for reporting issues of concern is set out in the Safety Statement.

The Beach

• All equipment must be checked daily (each morning) to see that it is in working order and ready for use. Any defects notified should be reported immediately to the Council. To inspect all lifesaving and first aid equipment on arrival for duty to ensure that adequate stocks are available and in good working order.

• Indication flags should be placed in prominent positions. The following flag system is to be used:

• Red flag signifies that bathing is considered temporarily unsafe.

• Red over yellow flag signifies that bathing between any two such flags is under supervision of Beach Lifeguard.

• No flag is flown if there is no Beach Lifeguard on duty.

• To ensure that from the start of the duty period that the appropriate flags are flown and are changed or re-located as necessary during the day.

• To ensure at the conclusion of the duty period each evening that all flags are removed and that all equipment is checked and securely stored in the appropriate place.

• To ensure that except for emergency assistance or official business, no one other than lifeguard personnel is permitted in the lifeguard station.

Bathers

• Beach Lifeguards must always be courteous to bathers and give them the necessary information regarding state of tides, currents and parts of strand which are not safe for bathing.

• If, in the Beach Lifeguard’s opinion, bathers are about to enter water at a point which is considered dangerous owing to currents, shifting sands, etc., they should immediately warn them and give the reasons.

• To provide emergency rescue service in the case of accidents.

• Going immediately to the assistance of persons in difficulties in the water and rendering to such persons the necessary attention; To render first aid when possible.

• Where bathers are about to enter water at a point which is considered dangerous owing to currents, shifting sands etc., they should immediately warn them and give them reasons. Practice a philosophy of prevention over reaction in carrying out the service.

• If the bathers are acting in an indecent manner, the Beach guard should bring this fact to the notice of the Garda Siochana at the earliest opportunity.

Other Duties for Consideration

• Except when the beach is empty, the Beach Lifeguard should be on patrol or on look-out outside the hut. The Beach Lifeguard should never be inside the hut except when relieved for meals etc. or when they are certain there is nobody on the beach. They should not allow their concentration to be diverted in conversations with the public or in reading. The primary duty of the Beach Lifeguard is to prevent accident situations from developing. The can-buoy should be strategically placed so that it may be used at a moment’s notice. Special vigilance is required where there are rocks or an outflow of a river, as there are likely to be undertows or currents.

• Where Beach Lifeguards have to leave to partake of meals, arrangements should be made that one Beach Lifeguard will be on duty during the other’s absence for such purpose and to patrol their area in addition to their own. Where one Beach Lifeguard only is employed, the following procedure should be adopted regarding the lunch hour:

• No flag should be flown when they are off duty for their meal.

• The meal must be arranged at a time other than the peak bathing hours.

• Where two Beach Lifeguards are on duty on a particular beach –

• One Beach Lifeguard shall remain at a vantage point from which a full view of the beach can be had and remain on a constant lookout,

• The other Beach Lifeguard shall maintain a patrol of the beach and in such a manner that any given point along the beach is visited at least once in every 15 minutes.

• Brief reports should be exchanged when they meet but lifeguards should never be seen to congregate together or with other groups.

• To carry out a Beach patrol which shall be maintained along the beach and when the tide is in, the patrol shall be maintained as close as to the beach as possible.

• To provide constant observation and supervision of activities at public bathing places in order to prevent drowning accidents.

• To inspect the patrol area and where possible to remove any dangerous or offensive items. If the lifeguard cannot deal with the matter he should immediately report to his supervisor.

• To ensure that the lifeguard station is kept clean and tidy and in a state of readiness for emergencies.

• At appropriate times when checking the ring buoys and other safety equipment on the beach.

• Beach guards may be required to assist in conducting aquatic events and water safety programs.

• Beach guards shall carry out all appropriate duties as laid down in the Water Safety Ireland Lifeguard Handbook.

• Beach Lifeguards should enter on the logbook, times of commencing and ceasing duty, morning, mealtime and evening, each day and should make a note of any incident such as rescues, etc. The Logbook should be available at all times for inspection by any duly authorised member of the County Council’s staff. Beach lifeguards shall notify the coast guard times of commencing and ceasing duty.

• To record in a daily logbook:

➢ The names and attendance times of all guards on duty.

➢ The general weather and tidal conditions.

➢ What flags were flown and when they were changed during the day.

➢ Any information which may assist the Authorities in improving the service.

• The Beach Lifeguards will be required to keep an “Accident and Incident Record” Book.

• The Senior Beach Lifeguard at each location will, in addition to carrying out all of the duties, etc., of Beach Guard (including taking full part in any roster arrangements), be responsible for ensuring that the Beach Lifeguards at their location comply fully with the terms of the duties, responsibilities and general regulations of the post.

• To complete all appropriate rescue and first aid forms.

• To provide advice to the public regarding facilities, state of tides, currents, parts of beach which are not safe for bathing, hazards, water safety etc. To proactively implement this, including but not restricted to, by carrying out Public Relations & Educational patrols during quiet times.

The Person – Qualifications

1. Character

Candidates will demonstrate through their application and at the interview that they:

(i) hold as a minimum, a current Water Safety Ireland Beach Lifeguard Award or an equivalent qualification as recognised by the International Lifesaving Federation (ILS)

(ii) have thorough knowledge of resuscitation including Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation

(iii) are not less than 18 years of age on 18th May 2026

Other qualifications that are desirable: S-VHF Certificate, First Aid, ISA Powerboat Level 2 or higher, Manual Handling, Occupational Health & Safety Certificate.

Before employment, candidates will be required to submit documentary evidence to Limerick City and County Council in support of their application. Original current valid Lifeguard award must be submitted to Human Resources prior to attendance for swim and resuscitation examination.

2. Health

Candidates shall be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

Terms and Conditions

1. Annual Leave

The Council’s annual leave year runs from January to December.

Annual Leave is in accordance with the provisions of the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997 and the Organisation of Working Time Regulations, 2001. Annual leave is calculated as 8% of the hours worked in a leave year (but subject to a maximum of 4 working weeks).

Your Annual Leave entitlement will be calculated at the conclusion of your fixed term contract, and you will be remunerated for same at the end of your contract.

Granting of annual leave, payment for annual leave and arrangements for public holidays will be governed by the provisions of the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 as amended.

2. Rate of Pay:

€684.25 per 37-hour week

3. Hours of Work

Determined in order of merit following interview, Lifeguards will be required to work a 37-hour week of irregular hours to coincide with tidal conditions and bathing periods, including split shifts, work at weekends and particularly over holiday weekends.

Successful applicants must be available for duty for the June Bank Holiday weekend, all other weekends in June and full-time for the months of July and August 2026.

4. Superannuation:

The Local Government Superannuation Scheme

5. Garda Vetting:

The National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012 to 2016 came into effect on 29th April 2016. The Act places a statutory obligation on Limerick City and County Council to ensure that any work or activity which is carried out by a person, a necessary and regular part of which consists mainly of a person having access to or contact with children or vulnerable persons will be subject of Garda Vetting. A Garda Vetting form must be fully completed by every candidate. The Parent/Guardian Consent Form should only be completed in respect of candidates who are under 18 years.

6. Pre-Employment Medical:

It may be necessary for all candidates who are successful at the practical test and the interview to undergo at his/her expense a medical examination by a qualified medical practitioner to be nominated by the Council. On taking up employment, the expense of the medical will be refunded to the candidate. Visionary or other medical conditions must be rectified before employment.

Application Process:

Completed application forms must be e-mailed to recruitment@limerick.ie

no later than 06th March 2026.

An official application form must be completed in full by the closing date for the competition. Please note that amendments to the application form will not be accepted after the closing date. CV’s will not be accepted in lieu of an application form.

Please send your application from an e-mail address that you will review regularly as communication during the assessment/selection period will only be through that e-mail address. Please also ensure that you regularly review your spam/junk email folder as occasionally your email service provider may direct emails to that folder.

Selection Process:

Candidates will initially be assessed to ensure that they meet the minimum qualifications set down above under The Person.

Candidates will then be assessed on the basis of the information contained in their application form to determine, having regard to the requirements of the position, the person specification, and the number who have applied, if they should be called for interview.

All candidates will be required to undergo a practical test in Basic Life Support (BLS), swimming ability, lifesaving techniques and a theory test conducted by an examiner(s) nominated by Water Safety Ireland. Date of this assessment will be advised in due course.

The Basic Life Support Assessments will incorporate the following elements:

Practical Basic Life Support (BLS) Assessments:

• Practical assessment of basic life support skills

• General aspects of safe lifeguarding (10 questions)

Timed Swim

• 200m freestyle in less than 4 minutes (starting in the water with canbuoy/rescue tube and no tumble turns)

• 200m swim timed (if candidate’s swim is outside 4 minutes, the candidate fails the Timed Swim Assessment)

Pool Assessment

• 100m tow with canbuoy/rescue tube in not more than 4 minutes

• 25m approach, release and 25m carry (front double)

• 25m approach, release and 25m carry (rear double)

• Spinal injury management in shallow water (splint or clamp)

• Underwater search 25m locate and pick up submerged manikin, exchange at surface for subject and administer deep water resuscitation for 10m

• 20m approach, surface dive and deep-water resuscitation

• Board Rescue