Committee clears ordinance amending lifeguard program transfer and endorses 'dawn to dusk' language

The committee considered Bill 38 (2025), which amends Honolulu ordinances to transfer the extended lifeguard services program from the Department of Emergency Services to the Department of Ocean Safety, and the panel recommended the bill be reported out for passage on third reading.

Acting Assistant Chief Adam Lerner of Honolulu Ocean Safety briefed the committee and explained that the department and corporation counsel prefer the operational wording “dawn to dusk” for tower coverage and public notice rather than attempting to tie duties to precise sunrise and sunset times. Lerner said Ocean Safety has experimented with extended coverage since 2023 and currently staffs many towers on 10‑hour, 4‑10 shifts that generally provide coverage from roughly 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with variations at some locations like Kanaha Bay.

Lerner described the 2023 shift change from a traditional 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m. schedule to islandwide 10‑hour shifts to provide extended coverage, and said the towers display signage that reads in effect that no lifeguard is on duty and to call 911 when the tower is closed. He noted collective bargaining and rest‑period requirements constrain flexible start times and that further summer expansion would require additional staffing or experimental scheduling.

Council members sought clarification on who sets start and end times and how changes are communicated across beaches; Lerner said core coverage remains consistent and the department tacks on pre‑ or post‑shift overtime for anticipated busy days. The chair recommended Bill 38‑2025 be reported out for passage on third reading; no objections were recorded and the measure was ordered to proceed.