ATLANTA — With little more than a month to go until Memorial Day, local swimming pools are racing to find enough lifeguards ahead of the holiday weekend, and lifeguard Sairah Sethi is ready to get to work.
"I love working outside in the summer," Sethi, who works with the YMCA of Greater Atlanta, said. "It's a really fun job to have."
Lifeguards like Sethi are also the first line of defense when it comes to keeping swimmers safe. But right now, the American Lifeguard Association is worried there are not enough lifeguards to meet the need. According to B.J. Fisher, Director of Health and Safety for the American Lifeguard Association, the shortage of lifeguards could be “as bad as last year, or worse.”
The pandemic is partly to blame, Fisher explained. Due to social distancing, fewer training and re-certification opportunities were held, worsening the need for lifeguards.
The impact is also felt in the metro, according to Megan Benvenuto, executive director of the Northwest Family YMCA.
"Nationally, for the last few years we have been dealing with a shortage of lifeguards," Benvenuto told 11Alive. "There is training that's required," she added, speaking on the challenge of finding applicants. "You have to have a certain type of personality and be willing to jump in when things are not at the best."
The YMCA of Metro Atlanta currently has job postings for 264 lifeguards with plans to open pools on May 27. To attract potential guards, the organization is offering incentives includes a $300 'Stay the Summer' bonus as well as more bonus money available to those who refer a friend to work. Free training is also available for those who qualify.
Other metro pools are also offering incentives. The city of Atlanta is covering the cost of certification for those hired, with the hope of securing more than 100 lifeguards by Memorial Day. A hiring event is also planned for April 29.
"The goal is to have adequate staff," Marcus Byams, head of the aquatics department, said. "Trained, certified staff at all 12 pools to make sure they open every single day."
Last year, some metro pools closed or limited hours due to lifeguard shortages. The American Lifeguard Association stresses the need for lifeguarding to be looked at as an essential profession, rather than a temporary summer job, in order to tackle the crisis going forward. But despite the crunch, there's hope that candidates will continue to come forward.
"When you're taking on a role as lifeguard, you're taking on additional responsibilities," Benvenuto said. "You're responsible for human lives, and there are challenges that go with that. We're excited that people are willing to take on the challenge as we move into the future."