Water Safety Advice for Swimmers

Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 14 and under, with children under age 5 at the highest risk. Many drowning's and near drowning's occur when children are left unattended by a pool, pond or in the bath. The majority of all drowning's and near drowning's occur between May and August.

Its also a fact that the drinking of alcohol plays a large part in drowning in adults, and the consumption of alcohol should be avoided at all costs if you intend swimming of any kind.

Adults and children over age 13 should learn infant and child cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the event of a near drowning. Parents and caregivers should also develop and practice an emergency routine.

For many families, visits to the community pool, ponds or beaches are essential rituals of the summer experience. But smooth waters can turn to rough ones when basic water safety precautions, such as constant supervision of children near or around water, are forgotten.

Toddlers and children are attracted to water and love to play in it. Unfortunately, they don't understand the dangers of drowning. Children can drown in as little as one inch of water in a matter of seconds and it can happen in the time it takes a parent to answer the phone.

Water safety at the swimming pool

A pool is 14 times more likely than a motor vehicle to be involved in the unintentional death of children ages 4 and under. Sixty to ninety percent of the drowning's occur in residential pools. To prevent drowning's in swimming pools, abide by the following:

• Never leave your child alone in or around a swimming pool or a spa.
• Teach children how to swim. Enrol children in swimming lessons taught by qualified instructors when your child is ready, usually after age 3. But keep in mind that lessons don't make your child 'drown-proof.'
• Teach children water safety habits. Children should not run, push others under water, jump on others, dive or jump in shallow water or swim during lightning storms or other bad weather.
• Keep a telephone, emergency phone numbers and rescue equipment at the poolside.
• Empty inflatable pools and store out of children's reach when not in use.

Water safety for Ponds, Lakes and Rivers

The majority of drowning's among older children occur in open bodies of water. These drowning's happen when an older child overestimates his or her swimming ability or when he or she is swimming in an unsupervised area. To prevent drowning's in natural or open bodies of water, read the following tips.

• Always watch your child while at the beach, lake or other natural bodies of water.
• Never let older children swim in unsupervised areas like quarries, canals or ponds. Many times children underestimate the depth of water.
• Make sure your child wears a personal flotation device when in or near natural bodies of water. Air filled 'swimming aids,' such as 'water wings,' are not considered safety devices and are not substitutes.

Firework Safety Advice

Information for Adults & Children

Having fireworks at home can be great fun, as long as they are used safely. Figures show more children rather than adults get hurt by fireworks. Over the past five years over 350 pre-school children, some only a year old, were treated in hospital for fireworks injuries.

Be safe not sorry

Fireworks are safe if you use them properly. If you're putting on a home display, you should follow some simple steps to make sure that everyone has a good time without getting hurt.

Keep kids safe

We want children to enjoy fireworks but they need to know that they can be dangerous if they are not used properly. Each year, over half of all firework injuries are suffered by children. The Child Accident Prevention Trust have more guidance on keeping kids safe.

Sparkler safely

Did you know that sparklers get five times hotter than cooking oil? Sparklers are not toys and should never be given to a child under five.

Where to buy

Don't cut corners just to save a few quid. Always buy fireworks from a reputable shop to make sure that they conform to British Standards. This means that they should have BS 7114 written on the box.

Sometimes shops open up for a short time before Bonfire Night but these may not be the best places to buy fireworks from. Staff in these shops might not be very knowledgeable about using fireworks safely and their fireworks might not meet British Standards.

Whatever you do, don't buy fireworks from anywhere you're not sure about, such as the back of a van or from a temporary, unlicensed market stall.

What to buy

There are different categories of fireworks. Members of the public can buy and set off most of the fireworks that come under Categories 1 to 3. These are fireworks that include those that you can use indoors, in your garden or at a display. Always read the packet carefully and make sure that the fireworks you buy are suitable for the place where you are going to set them off.

Professional fireworks

Some fireworks can only be bought and used by firework professionals. These include: air bombs; aerial shells, aerial maroons, shells-in-mortar and maroons-in-mortar; all bangers; mini rockets; fireworks with erratic flight; some Category 2 and 3 fireworks which exceed certain size limits; and all Category 4 fireworks.

Setting them off

Only one person should be in charge of fireworks. If that's you, then make sure you take all the necessary precautions. Read the instructions in daylight and don't drink any alcohol until they've all been discharged. Make your preparations in advance, and in daylight. On the night, you will need...

• A torch.
• A bucket or two of water.
• Eye protection and gloves.
• A bucket of soft earth to put fireworks in.
• Suitable supports and launchers if you're setting off Catherine wheels or rockets.

Specialized Chef Jobs

When you start out your training to be a chef or cook, you rarely think about specializing in a certain type of cuisine, but there are very successful chefs that just cook certain cuisine, and there is a huge demand for specialized chefs in the hospitality industry. Some chefs will become specialized in food from the country that they are native to and this is a great way to express yourself and cook food that is close to your heart. For example, the Japanese and other Asian chefs love to cook and prepare sushi and you very rarely see a non-Asian making sushi in a restaurant. This is because the traditional dish uses secret recipes and cooking tips that have been passed down through the generations and use ingredients that are native to their country.

If you think about any specialized chef jobs are usually picked up by native chefs, so why not specialize in cooking food that is native to your country or that you have ancestral ties to, such as Italian cuisine, Greek cuisine, South African cuisine, Chinese cuisine, Brazilian cuisine, and more. For Italian cuisine, you will need to have the passion for food that a true Italian does and learn to use the native ingredients in the exact way that they are meant to in Italy.

The Chinese cuisine is mainly rice and noodle dishes with sweet and sour pork, chicken and other vegetables. The Chinese also make special spring rolls and dessert items like bow ties. Cooking Chinese cuisine requires a certain art and technique that many non Chinese chefs will not understand. The same goes for Brazilian cuisine, South African cuisine and Greek cuisine. There are certain dishes that you will not find anywhere else in the world and certain ingredients that you will also not find easily outside of those countries. In South Africa for example, you can get impala and kudu dishes, crocodile, buffalo, and ostrich, with chakalaka sauce and pap. In Greece you will find interesting desserts and baked foods and ingredients like bechamel sauce, bougatsa, loukoumades, and more.

Using the traditional ingredients makes cooking these meals that much harder and if you don't understand the culture and traditional recipes that have been passed down, it can be very hard to specialize in a cuisine that you don't know much about. The best way to get a specialized chef job is to specialize in food that you know from the country that you are from. Specialized chefs are usually in demand in restaurants that have a specific country theme like Italian, Mexican, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, or Brazilian among others. Learning to cook in the specific styles will also require some un-training, as it were, and the following of age old recipes to get the perfect specialized dishes that you require.

Specialized chef jobs are found in every country, so if you are just a specialized chef when it comes to American or British cuisine, then you can find exciting jobs in other countries where your skills can be highly appreciated. You might be able to find a more high-end job overseas where your chef skills are really in demand for the top of the line hotels and international restaurants. JobMonkey has an excellent section on answers.

Sometimes, specialized chef jobs are wanted that ask you to specialize in a few different food styles. For example, there are many restaurants that offer Asian cuisine, which means that you have to be comfortable and talented with Indian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Thai cuisine. Whatever cuisine you specialize in, you can be sure that you will find the perfect chef jobs anywhere in the world. The more you know about other cultures and different cuisines, the better it will be for your career opportunities.

Chef Jobs on Cruise Liners:

One of the most exciting places to work as an executive chef, sous chef, chef de partie, first cook, or cook trainee among other jobs, is on a cruise liner travelling all over the world. Here you will learn more about different cultures and tastes from all over the world and the experience is a one in a million, giving you a more mature palate. There are two sections on board a ship in the galley, and that is the cold galley and the hot galley.

Keep in mind, too, that JobMonkey has a detailed section about that should be missed. It includes dozens of job descriptions and information the cruise line industry.

Executive Chef: The executive chef is the head of the galley and must have extensive restaurants or hotel chef experience. Most cruise liner companies only offer executive chef positions to chefs with more than 8 years in the industry in a subordinate position. The executive chef will be responsible for the entire galley staff, plan the food, and do quality control. You can earn between $ 4,300.00 and $ 5,200.00 per month as an executive chef on board a cruise liner.

Assistant Executive Chef or Sous Chef: The assistant executive chef or sous chef is the person in the galley that looks after the rest of the chefs and galley and also makes sure that the day to day running is smooth. The sous chef or assistant executive chef must have 4 to 5 years of cruise liner or restaurant experience and will also help the executive chef to plan meals, assist with quality control, and with the preparation. An assistant executive chef can expect to earn about $3,500.00 to $4,100.00 per month and the sous chef will also be considered for promotion to executive chef.

Chef de Partie: The chef de partie is also in the position of being promoted to executive chef, and must also having 4 to 5 years of experience in the relevant fields. The chef de partie is in charge of preparing all of the sauces and gourmet cuisine in the galley, and also manages the food displays and buffets in the restaurants.

Cook training

First Cook: As the first cook in the galley of a cruise ship you will oversee the bakers and pastry chefs and also manage the second cook and third cook. You report directly to the executive chef and can be promoted to assistant executive chef. The first cook must have 2 to 3 years of experience on board in a subordinate position. Your monthly salary as first cook will be between $1,900.00 and $2,200.00.

Second Cook and Third Cook: The second cook will be directly under the first cook as will the third cook. You have the responsibility of supervising the bakers and pastry chefs, and you must also take direction from the first cook and executive chef regarding your food preparation and cooking tasks. You will earn between $1,400.00 and $1,600.00 per month and have the opportunity to be promoted to first cook.

Cook Trainee: The cook trainee is the starting position for many chefs to the cruise liner industry and you must have some experience in restaurants or hotels. You will earn about $700.00 per month and can be promoted to third chef or second chef. The cook trainee will take cooking and preparation directions from the first cook.

Baker Jobs: Bakers have various tasks in the galley and you can work as a baker supervisor, assistant baker supervisor, baker, or baker trainee. You are responsible for baking all of the good on board and as the baker supervisor you must have more than 3 years of experience in the hospitality field. The baker supervisor is responsible for the preparation and baking of all foods in the cold galley and will report and take orders from the executive chef. The baker supervisor will earn a salary of around $1,800.00 to $2,300.00 per month, with the other bakers earning from $1,900.00 to $900.00 per month.

Pastry Chefs

The pastry chefs also work in the cold galley preparing and making all of the desserts, pastries and tasty treats for the guests. The pastry chef supervisor is the head of the pastry chef section and will be in charge of the pastry preparation, production, and all pastry staff. The next cruise liner job in the pastry section is the assistant pastry chef supervisor, pastry man, and finally pastry trainee. These jobs will all involve making and preparing the pastries and all pastry staff will report to the pastry chef supervisor. You will make between $1,900.00 and $2,300.00 per month as a pastry chef supervisor and the other pastry chef positions will offer salaries of $2,100.00 to about $800.00 as the pastry trainee.

Crew Cooks: The crew cook makes all the food that is eaten by the crew. There are various crew cook jobs like crew cook, crew cook assistant and crew cook trainee. You will report and take orders from the First Cook and must have at previous hotel or restaurant industry experience. You can earn between $600.00 and $900.00 per month and there are strong possibilities of being promoted to third cook or second cook.

Other Cruise Liner Galley Jobs: There are lots of other galley positions available that require chefs, cooks or people will a food background, knowledge and passion. You can start off in the cruise line as a provision master or storekeeper collecting and keeping tabs on the supplies and ingredients on board. The provision master or storekeeper must have a food and beverage background and will take directions from the executive chef. The provision master or storekeeper must also have accounting knowledge. The crew messman or crew cook utility does not require you to have any experience and is a great place to start if you want to travel the world and also start to gain experience in the kitchen. You will be responsible for cleaning and general maintenance and will be directed by the first cook. You can earn about $600.00 to $900.00 per month.

These are just some of the top chef positions that you can get working as a chef or cook on board a cruise ship. It is a great opportunity to get promoted and gain valuable experience while traveling the world. Some cruise liners have many restaurants on board, which means that there are lots of jobs available all the time. If you are tired of working in a land based restaurant or hotel, and want some adventure, then cruise liner chef jobs are just for you.

PLANNING OBJECTIVES

Decisions about funding choices are critical to the future of the Navy. A dynamic, uncertain, but still-dangerous security environment competes with constrained defense resources to createThe report of the Quadrennial Defense Review challenges and difficult tradeoffs in three major areas that, together, are the cornerstone for the 21st-century Navy:

* Force Readiness

* Force Structure

* Force Transformation

The security environment has changed. And the Navy is drawing upon the vitality and innovation of its people and leveraging new technological opportunities to create a transformation strategy that will ensure tomorrow's Navy can continue to meet its mission requirements and attain higher levels of operational effectiveness. While the recapitalization of resources is one possible solution to current funding concerns, a broader strategic context is essential if we are to avoid undue interim risk. Today's readiness must not suffer as we look to the future. This, alone, will demand the best, most enlightened stewardship of the Navy's fiscal and physical resources.

Navy firefighters

If we are to succeed in meeting tomorrow's challenges, the Navy's programming structure must become more integrated, effective, and proactive. In this light, the Navy will continue to develop new operational concepts that leverage current forces while exploiting our asymmetrical advantages and technological superiority. The Navy will continue to turn to industry and Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) technologies, and will privatize non-core functions when feasible. Additionally, we will pursue solutions with other U.S. Armed Services and our allies and friends.

Within this context of critical trade-offs and innovative solutions, broad planning objectives have been identified to guide our efforts to build the 21st-century Navy:

* Enhance readiness by providing a stable and rewarding quality of life for our people and their families by maintaining adequate pay, medical care, advancement potential, and benefits, and by providing a work environment that supports job satisfaction, including balanced sea-shore rotation

* Ensure that the minimum-essential force structure and core capabilities are preserved for naval, joint and multinational operations - for sustained forward deployed presence, deterrence, prompt and assured crisis response, and warfighting - including fully integrating Navy and Marine Corps Reserve components into a seamless Total Force Submarine underway

* Outsource and privatize non-core functions to industry whenever possible, thus reducing the size and cost of supporting infrastructure

* Leverage scarce resources through joint and international programs

These objectives are examined in more detail in the following sections.