street cleaner

Galtern owes its reputation as the healthiest island in all the ocean to the ranks of workers who maintain the cleanliness of its public places. Far beyond simply keeping paths clear of debris, street cleaners are also responsible for certain hazardous tasks necessary for public health, such as removing the bodies of deceased persons for transport to soil farms, or securely escorting the contagiously ill to quarantine.

The high value placed on the job gives street cleaners a great deal of influence in managing their cities' policies as well. They are, after all, quite skilled in quickly identifying problems and dealing with them promptly.

Career

Qualifications

The job is not for everyone. It requires a strong constitution, stomach, and immune system. In terms of education, street cleaning requires courses of study in such fields as infectious disease and sanitation, in addition to Stolc's standard health education program.

Payment & Reimbursement

In Galtern's value economy, street cleaning is one of the most materially rewarding jobs that exist. They are guaranteed comfortable housing and are well fed wherever they choose to eat.

Perception

Purpose

Street cleaners are the front line of public health work. Their role is to prevent contamination from spreading through the environment.

Social Status

Street cleaning is among the most highly regarded professions, especially in urban areas.  The job valuation is so high that almost half the Worthies at any given time are street cleaners.

History

When the ocean's population lived either on boats or on coral atolls, sanitation was simply a matter of dumping waste overboard or into the outgoing tide. The evacuation of the atolls to Galtern at the end of the Oceanic Era marked the first time in at least 4,000 years that ocean-dwelling people had to live in a dense population inconveniently far from the ocean. When leaders from the different groups compared notes about conditions in their camps, a clear pattern came to light: those camps with crews who regularly cleaned public areas had a smaller percentage of sick people, and less spread of disease.

Operations

Dangers & Hazards

Because of their role in moving the sick and the dead, street cleaners are more frequently exposed to contagious diseases than is the general population. The work also takes an emotional toll, for which reason street cleaners are eligible for the Coroner's Star.

Type

Sanitation