OCCUPATION: CROSSING GUARD

Name: Billie Boulton

Employer: Santa Ana Police Department

Thumbs up: “I like the kids, and I think I’m doing a great job for them; I watch over them. I like them and they like me--we get along just fine. I’m 70 years old. If you’ve ever been retired, you’d rather be working. I’ve been a crossing guard for five years, and I’ve been busy ever since.”

Thumbs down: “I just know I’m not going to like it here when it rains!” Next step: “I’ve already retired once. Where would I go?”

Advice: “Wear comfortable shoes. Patience and a sense of humor help. And you have to learn how to accept insults. Some motorists are not very nice about it when you hold them up. And bicyclists--who are not supposed to ride their bikes in the crosswalks--sometimes get stubborn and insulting. But there’s not much you can do about it except keep your sense of humor.”

Salary range: $6.31 to $7.68 per hour.

Hours: Part time only--about 5 1/2 hours a day; crossing guards work according to school schedules.

Educational and training requirements: On-the-job training with a supervisor for about one week. Applicants must have a valid driver’s license and transportation and must know how to read English. Size of work force: Very small. In Orange County about 250 people work as crossing guards.

Expected demand: Even as new schools are built, expected demand is negligible.

Job description: Crossing guards are there to ensure safe passage of children to and from school. At intersections without signals, guards must keep children on curb until traffic is stopped and stay in the crosswalk until the children have safely reached the opposite curb; at a signal, guards have to watch for turning traffic and make sure drivers are aware that children are crossing.

Major employing industries: Municipal police departments and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

For information: Call the traffic safety offices of the local police departments and the Sheriff’s Department.

Source: Santa Ana Police Department, Traffic Safety